SUGAR BEET.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10113, 7 October 1910, Page 4

SUGAR BEET.

The legislation provided in New Zea- ' land to encourage the growth of j sugar beet is being awaited with j •some anxiety. In several districts of the Dominion movements have j been Made in the direction of establishing the industry. It is interesting to note that the cultivation of sugar beet is also receiving attention in the Mother .Country. An article in the London Times of August 26th, says that sugar beet grown in England was exhibited forthe first time at a stand in the New Corn Exchange recently. It is cultivated in the Sleaford district of Lincolnshire, and the six roots on show at the New Corn Exchange was from -an excellent crop now being grown as i the result of many experiments with beets of one variety and another for the purpose of producing the kind best suited for the manufacture of sugar. The products of these trial growings, which amount to several thousands of tons, have been bought by Dutch sugar refiners at 17s per ton, delivered in Boston, Lincolnshire. The refiners pay the freight on these roots to Holland, and send them back again in the form of granulated sugar, paying not only the return freight, but the sugar duty of £1 16s 8d per ton, and nevertheless make a profit. The object of the cultivators of the sugar beet in Lincolnshire, however, is rather to encourage me manufacture of at least a portion of that supply of sugar which is imported from abroad. The roots seem to be in Fine condition. They were said to be of double the weight and of equal sugar content to the beet grown in Germany. The produce of the crop in Lincolnshire is 25 tons to the acre.