BEETROOT SUGAR.

Waikato Argus, Volume IV, Issue 233, 11 January 1898, Page 1 (Supplement)

BEETROOT SUGAR.

The following was read by Mr Thomas Wells at a late meeting of the Waikato Farmers' Club at Cambridge as a paper on " Beet Sugar." It was verj warmly received by the members, and in compliance with a numerously expressed wish we present it as iv special supplement in full. The paper is lull of most interesting and instructive statements, statistics, deductions and general information, aud in view of its importance to this district, we commend its careful perusal to our readers. MR WELLS' PAPER. This paper is in the main a compilation by the Minister of Agriculture of Victoria, the Hon. J. W. Tavemer, and was presented to the Victorian Parliament and re-printed and laid on the table of both Houses of the New Zealand Parliament this session. The statements and statistics may therefore be considered authoritative and as reliable as it is possible to get such data. Although the paper was written for Victoria, it applies in practically all respects to New Zealand. It goes to prove 1. That in countries such as France, where it has had a lengthened existence, it is considered " One nf the most important elements of national prosperity," and " The greatest agricultural conquest of our time." 2. That of the world's consumption of sugar much the greater half is beet sugar, and that this proportion is rapidly increasing. 3. That it is a profitable industry for producers and manufacturers alike. 4. That the colonies of Victoria and New Zealand are eminently suitable for beet-sugar production. Mr Tavemer opens his paper by quoting from a manifesto of the Premier of Victoria, in which the latter says, "It is intended by every means to encourage the growth of sugar-beet," etc., etc.,, and then he goes on to say that for this and other reasutis he has deemed it desirable to collect all tbc information and to present it iu a concise form to Parliament. He goes on to say how for the past 30 years experiments have been made in the colony in growing sugar-beet, until in 1890 the agricultural chemist of the department reported that " the results remove all doubts as to the possibility of growing beets in this colony as rich in sugar as they are in Europe." During the season of 1893-94 sixty-four samples of sugarbeet from the Government experimental patches averaged as high as 181 per cent., ranging from 14*74 per cent, to 2ri4pe rcent. Mr Richard Gird, in the annual address for 1894 before the State Board of Agriculture at Sucramento, in California, says, " As a nation we should encourage the production of those products that are now purchased from abroad —for the double effect of diversifying agricultural industries, making every other kind of crop more valuable ; and also to save our money at home among our own people, the necessity for which is so apparent at the present time." This sentence meets and fits the conditions of Victoria in the fullest sense ; and here, like in California, applies thoroughly to the production of sugar, of which our population is consuming enormous quantities every year, every ounce having to be imported from elsewhere, while Nature has placed at our disposal sources of wealth which will most undoubtedly enable us with incalculable advantages to grow and manufacture our own sugar upon our own land with our own labour. The following tabular statement—compiled from official sourcss, and referriog to general sugar supplies of the Australian colonies, Tasmania and New Zealand for the year 1893—wil probably dispel some more erroneous notions generally held : Colony. Produced. Imptd. Exptd. Consmd. Tons. Tons. Tons. Tons. Queensland .. 70,140 33 52,528 23,050 N.S. Wales .. 20,000 35,754 10,174 45,579 Victoria .. .. 45,598 5,370 40,228 South Australia .. 20,183 3,590 10,587 West Australia .. 4,000 .. 4,000 Tasmania .. .. 7,218 3 7,215 New Zealand .. .. 21,340 282 21,058 Totals .. 90,140 134,128 71,954 158,319 Totals are correct, declmalsjbeing omitted. The preceding table shows that the only two Australian sugar-growing and manufacturing colonies (sugarcane)— viz., Queensland and New South Wales —have between them produced only 96,14b'tons of sugar, whereas the total consumption in the seven colonies named has amounted to 158,319*35 tons; so that the shortage, which had to be imported from foreign countries, has amounted to 02,173 tons, of which quantity, as previously shown, Victoria alone took 29,326 tons, or 47'16 per cent. The table also shows that in Queensland and NewSouth Wale 3 combined the excess of sugar production over sugar consumption has left only 26,916 tons available for the remaining five colonies, whose consumption was 89,089 tons : so that the latter have been compelled to draw 69*78 per cent, of thsir sugar requirements from foreign sources, at a total cost probably not far short of cne million and a half sterling. For such reasons (clearly adduced by statistics) it must appear quite evident

that there is ample inducement for increased sugar production in Australia, not only from an individual Victorian standpoint, but also from the intercolonial point of view—or, which is equivalent, from that of Federated Australia. As far as Victoria is concerned, we cannot produce any sugar from the cfme; in this we are precluded by our clirr atio conditions. But, as already indie?.ted, this colony is in the highest drgrce enited for the growth of sugar- beet. From this aspect, therefore, in thf: face of the above statistics, the prospects ot the sugar-beet industry are most auspicious. In looking deeper into the question of our 6ugar supplies—more especially in view of the approaching intercolonial federation—naturally the question of the competition between cane and beet sugar will have to be dnalt with, as well as the probable expansion of the cane industry in our sister colonies. Respecting the former point, generally speaking, it cannot possibly be denied that beet sugar has been eminently successful in its competition with the cane. The British Export Journal, of the 15th November, 1893, says: "It has for years been apparent that beet-sugar is Bteadily replacing the product of the cane.'' This verdict of a renowned journal is based upon facts, for, according to the Board of Trade returns, in the United Kingdom at the present time, out of a total of something like 1,300,000 tons of sugar consumed annually, no less than about a million tons are beet-sugar, produced on the Continent of Europe, which clearly shows that the beet article, has not only held its own, but that it has entirely succeeded in its attempts of gaiuing the favours of the consuming public, which fact must appear all the more remarkable since beet-sugar has come into prominence only comparatively recently. But so rapidly has it made its progressive strides that at the present time it undisputably rules the world's sugarmarket. Iu this sense Mr U. Czarniknow, whose weekly " Prices Currents" are universally considerated authoritative, says in that issued in London on May 24th, 1594: "The whole course ot the market will naturally be guided by ! that of beetroot, which is now the regu- | lating factor."

A remarkable contrast to this statement is afforded in said gentleman's " Price Current," dated Loudon, 11th October, 1894, wherein he says, "In cane-sugar transactions are quite of a retail character."

It is a well-known fact that universally the consumption of sugar has increased enormously during the last two generations. The people have found out for themselves that sugar is no longer a mere sweetening agent or condiment, and therefore an article of luxury, but that it really is a food stuff or high value. The cane industry could have never kept pace with the demands of consumers, increasing with a marvellous rapidity ; and it was the much despised beet which, thus receiving a great impetus, had occasion to step in aud to establish itself on such a firm footing that it is now impossible to displace it therefrom. True, the prejudices of the people, and particularly ot the English race, have managed for a long time to maintain a certain hostility towards this article ; aud to a great extent such prejudices still exist in theory, although in reality the very fact that by far more beet than cane-sugar is consumed should have long ago banished them into oblivion. As a matter of fact, cane and beet sugar are absolutely the same thing —there is not the slightest difference between the two.

Mr William Reed, in his " History of Sugar and Sugar-yielding Plants," says, "It may be proper to state that beetroot sugar is not only identical in every respect with cane-siii-ar, but that much of the Dutch lump sugar is actually the produce of beet-root. The circumstances cannot be too much insisted upon that the seeming distinction between yellowbeet sugar and yellow cane sugar depends on the extraneous matters present. These, when eliminated by refining, leave white materials in all respects identical. There is practically no difference between these two, whether of colour or of grain." Under such circumstances, the people of Victoria need have no apprehensions that when we do begiu to produce our sugar from our own beet roots they will have an article foisted upon them interior to that they have been accustomed to consume.

The large increase in the production of beet-sugar just referred to, in comparison with that gained irom the cane, may be gathered from the following statistical returns referring to the total sugar production of the world for the years 18S081 and 1893-94 respectively according to Licht : In 1880 81 the cane-sugar produced amounted to 1,979,900 tons, aud in 1880 81 the best-sugar produced amounted to 1,774,545 tons : total, 3,754,445 tons. In that year the quantities of the two articles were very muoh alike, but thirteen years later the respective quantities have experienced the following changes : In 1893-94 the production of cane-sugar was 2,960,000 tons, and iu 1893-94 the production of beetsugar was 3,881.945 tons; total, 6,841,945 tons. It is seen herefrom that the increase iu the world's sugar production during the last thirteen years has been equal to 82-23 percent., but the two articles have not increased at the same ratio during tho said period,

r for in cane-sugar this percentage has , been only 49 - 5 per cent., while for beeti j sugar it has amounted to 11875 per cent. • The reversed position of the two articles ■ for the indicated two yearn will be seen still more clearly if put in the following ■ manner : Of every 1001 b of sugar pro- ; duced in the world—ln 1880 Si, 47*2 lb ! -were made from beet, and 62*8 lb from , cane; while in 1893-94, 56 7 lb were ! made from beet, and 43*3 lb from cane. These figures unrefutably indicate the i success which the beet" industry has achieved in its competition witii tho cane. In regard to the consumption of sugar in these colonies, it may not be generally kuown that per head of population it by far exceeds that of any other country in the world. Even now the consumption per head in Australasia is very largely above that of any other country, notwithstanding the enormous import of confectionery, etc., from England, which is all included in the British consumption, and although the people here are supplied with other articles of diec in infinitely larger quantity and of better quality than any other community can obtain." Such most significant facts are borne out by the following figures, quoted from a lecture by Dr. O. J. Broch before the Statistical Society of Paris, according to which authority the consumption of sugar in the under-mentioned countries has been as follows per head of population : lb. lb. South Australia..lo2-10 Argentine Rep'lic 50'04 W. Australia .. 93-51 United States .. 43-00 Victoria .. .. 90-75 France .. .. 22-50 Tasmania.. .. 90-4!) Germany • - - - 15'01 New Zealand .. 87-18 Portugal .. .. 9-50 United Kingdom OS-99 Russia .. .. 7 - 09 Queensland .. 02-93 Spain .. .. s*ll New South Wales 00'93 Italy .. .. 3-20 Although, as per above table, our colonies occupy the foremost, place, there are ample evidences that our sugar consumption is still on the increase, and there is no telling at what figure tho maximum is likely to be estimated. It may be mentioned that the Victorian Statist places the colonial figures some- ' what higher all round than those of Dr. ' Broch as above ; but, adhering to the ' latter gentleman's data, and assuming that our seven colonies would all be •' consuming at the same rate as South ' Australia—viz., 102*1 lb per head per ( annum—then, on the basis of the IS9I ' population census of the respective colonies, the total annual increase in the ( sugar consumption would amount to no • less than 37,055 tons, which quantity, 1 if not produced within the colonies, ' would, of course, have to be im- ( ported from loreign countries at a cost 1 considerably exceeding half a million sterling. Looking at the just-quoted table in a . general way. we cannot fail to arrive at ] the conviction that undoubtedly there is ] an enormous field and most brilliant ] prospects for the sugar industry gener- ] ally in the world's market. Statistics ] demonstrate tint the consumption of ] sugar is increasing very rapidly, and ] evidently no nation has reached the ] maximum yet—most of them are, indeed, ] very much behind, although recently ] their demands for sugar have been grow- - ing up in leaps aud bounds. The Minister then deals with some < aspects of the probable expansion or t otherwise of the cane-sugar industry in I the sister colonies of Queensland and i New South Wales, which may be briefly c summarised thus : t 1. A first difficulty is the forced black i labour question, and the increasing scar- t city of labour generally for cane field ■■ work. c 2. A second difficulty is tho old- i fashioned small mills inadequate for pro- e ducing sugar at present day rates. s Again, though the production of cane sugar in these colonies may expand for a * time they are not likely within the next c generation to produce more than,, say. c 125,000 and 25,000 tons in Queensland and New South Wales, respectively. J We must, therefore, take our supplies * from foreign sources or produce it from, * say, sugar-beet. * That although quantitatively cane growing has improved during the pact twenty-four years the figures for 1870 being 1238 tons, and for 1894 45,440 tons, yet there has been little or no ad- I vance in the per centage of sugar saved J per ton of cone crushed. The two * highest years duiiug this period being ; 1875 and 1891, when the crops averaged , 1*74 and 177 tons of sugar to the acre of I cane respectively. That the average cane crop is 25 tons c to the acre, that the usual price is 13s f per ton, equalling £l6 10s for the 25 tons, f which will yield 1*77 tons of sugar, so f that one ton of sugar will cost £9 3s 5d f for the first cost of the raw material. f In pursuing our subject we now arrive at the point of paying some attention to ( the sugar-beet industry generally. This c opens up a very wide field, and for , obvious reasons we can only skim, as it , were, through its very principal features f as past experience of other countries j presents them. , It is a well-known fact that beet-sugar i had only a very short life as yet. ] Omitting altogether tho many varying i vicis.-itudes through which the young i industry, thus established a little over a 1 hundred years ago. had to pass in its ] infancy, it must fruffice to say that it has I not only survived all tho crushing i obstacles encountered on its progressive 1 cou r sc, but that its development affords t a most strikingly remarkable and i

thoroughly unparallelod example. The Governments of the various countries soon recognised its import mce, and in a praiseworthy manner encouraged and subsidised its growth by wise legislation, as a result of which incalculable benefits have been reaped. Thus it progressed in amazing strides, so that at the present time it occupies the foremost industrial place in all the principal countries of the European Continent. Tho importance which attaches to this in.du.stry, before quoting some general statistics, may be best gleaned from several verdicts of unquestionable authorities. Thus the great Frenchman, Basset, in his work " Guide Piatique du Fabricant de Sucre,' says, " The manufacture of sugar from beet-roots haH become one of the most important olements of national prosperity. Based upon agricultural progress and the requirements of an ever-increasing population, allied on account of the cattlo which it supports with the production of meat and bread, resting on improving cultivation of the soil, it has rendered to modern society the greatest services, at the same time attaining for itself the highest degree of prosperity and glory to which any industry ever had tho ambition to aspire."

Similar convictions are shared by all beet-producing countries, there being no dissent. This industry has even been termed “ the greatest agricultural conquest of our time,” while the historian Thiers has called it “ the Providence of the Empira?” which occording to E. B. Grant, “in the opinion of eminent French statesmen, has twice within fifteen years saved France from famine.’ Indeed, it is the opinion gained from experience in all beet-producing countries that the cultivation of beet materially increases the production of cereals and of animal food; and that, therefore, it stands pre-eminent as a beneficent industry. In this respect we have not only the testimony of Europe, but we have also that of California, where the beet industry is now firmly established on a sound and solid basis. The British Consul at San Francisco, under instructions from this Government, has very recently reported as follows: “ The sugar-beet industry has proved itsolt to bo a most sure and satisfactory agricultural proposition in California today.” Such testimony from The named State of the American Union, which admittedly most resembles Victoria in climate, in people, and in products, must therefore be considered most valuable for our own conditions, and further verdicts from that part of the world will bo moat signifi-

From this tabular statement, which is compiled from reliable sources, it will bo seen that during the period embraced between the years 1865 and 1894 the increase of the world’s beet-sugar production has actually amounted to no less than 616.18 per cent. Obviously, the individual countries fully participate in that increase, more particularly those where this industry is of more recent origin. The respective corresponding increased percentages in the lands enumerated are the following for the same period : Germany, 772 22 per cent,; Austria, 1,052'25 per cent. ; France, 214-49 per cent. ; Russia, 1,015-63 per cent. ; Belgium, 783-33 per cent. ; other countries, 3,100-25 per cent. The above are very significant figures, which naturally and demandingly call for our attention and inquiry. The beetsugar having become a sine qua non in the social economics of most civilised countries, we are forcibly led to ask ourselves earnestly about our own position to the question. Amongst the “ other countries” in the preceding statements there are two wherein the beet industry is but a very few years old, and it will therefore be all the more interesting to note its progress there. The one in Sweden, where the first factory was established in 1882. The quantities of sugar produced were these : During the 1882-83 season, in one factory, 1,472 tons; 1889-90, tour factories, 10,822 tons ; 1890-91 six factories, 16,307 tons ; 1891-92, eight factories, 27,241 tons; 1892-93, ten factories, 30,781 tons; 1893 94, fourteen factories, 49,200 tons. The second country referred to is California, which affords an instance of especial interest to us, inasmuch as the general conditions prevailing there are very much the same as our own. In that country beet-sugar making on an industrial scale has commenced only during the 1887-88 season, and since then it has prosperously developed and gained popularity in a marvellous manner. It must bo mentioned, prior to the year stated—viz., in 1875 —the beet industry had been entered upon with excellent prospects of success, but it has failed, for the simple reason that it was attempted in a manner contrary to the experiences taught by other countries. They thought that as their crops yielded considerably more per acre, and were on the average

e cnnt for us. Mr R. Gird, in his annual 3S address for 1894 before the Californian State a Board of Agriculture already referred d to, says, “ The sugar-beet is a plant the , cultivation of which under the scientific ;s methods necessary for its success, d increases the productiveness of the soil t for other crops, and makes such division ,1 and increase of labour as to help solve 0 the question of profitable employment, and of the instillment of these habits of s industry into the rising generation, 1 which at present seems such a difficult i problem in our industrial labour system. Dr El. W. Wiley, the chief of the i chemical laboratory in the Agricultural ■ Department of California, says, in April, ! 1894, number of The Engineering . Magazine, in regard to sugar-beet ; ’ ‘ There is no other way in which the plethora of agricultural products can bo 1 so readily relieved and renewed pro spenty brought to our airricultural interests, thus stimulating every other interest in the land.” The Pacific Rural Press, of 7th April 1894 : “ There is no crop which will repay a farmer better for the labour and care devoted to it than the sugar-beet.’ The beet indursty is most emphatically an agricultural industry of the first order—that if to say, it has the tendency to enlarge infinitely the productive capabilities of tho soil : it leads to increased production of other crops which it do:'S not exclude, but on the contrary demands ; it is of a progressive character"; and therefore its success in a civilised world is assured. It has brought about that state of alfiairs which J. R Dodge has so ably summed up in the following words in his admirable essay on “ Tho Future of Wheat,” see Pacific Rural Press of the 17th February, 1894 : ’’Tho incoming of diversified cropping, having a scientific basis, and conducted systematically and on business principles, and not as a haphazard speculation, will regulate the area of all products, redmo the cost of production by increasing the yield, modify the losses from insect depredations and incursions of weeds, aud reduce agricultural production to an equilibrium, at the same time increasing materially the margin of profit.” These considerations briefly represent the general—more particularly the agricultural— aspect of the sugar-beet industry, whose industrial progress will now be illustrated by statistics of its general results referring to tho qualities of sugar manufactured from beot, in tons, and put on the market, and representing a period of the last thirty years, These statistics are partly token from The Sugar Cane and partly from Licht:—-

by 2 per cent, richer in sugar than those grown in Europe small establishments would answer at the outset. As a consequence, those earlier attempts resulted in failure. However, since the recommencement of the industry on an industrially sound basis, the following quantities of sugar have been produced in California : In 1888, 1,786 tons ; 1889, 2,678 tons ; 1890, 3,572 tons ; 1891, 6,359 tons ; 1892 12,091 tons ; 1893, 19,486 tons. Having thus illustrated the progress of the beet industry generally, it appears necessary to now somewhat elucidate tho inner working of the same. This was best accomplished under the bead of statistics referring to the beet-sugar manufacture of Germany, which is now the chief sugar producing country of the world. The statistical data aro drawn from official sources, and are perfectly accurate, mere so than those of any other country ; for, owing to their excise arrangements, not only ore all the beets put through, but also the sugars produced are officially weighed and recorded. The figures are the following :

Note. —ln comparing the foregoing table with some of the statistics previously quoted some slight discrepancies will be discovered, which, however, are insignificant. They are due to the v»rious authorities adopting various standards—for instance, bringing the several grades of sugar to one uniform basis of equalitv. The preceding figures are taken from the returns of the Imperial German Statistical Bureau in Berlin. Paiticulars as to the year 1893-94, other than the sugar proauction, are not to hand yet.

The above table teaches severa' important lessons. In the first place the almost uninterrupted upward tendency of the production is very significant and needs no comment. In the second place, the progressive productiveness of the industry, as expressed in the last two columns, is very marked. In 1836-37 it took 18 tons of beets to produce 1 ton of pugar, giving a yield of only 5 "5 per cent. Sinco that time these two figures have been improving in a remarkably steady manner, until in 1892-93 1 tun of SHgar has been derived from only 7'29 tons of roots, the yield being equal to 13-71 per cont, Such result has been surpassed only onco before, as the table shows, and then only very slightly—viz.' in the 188788 season, during whish the weather had been faultlessly propitious to the growing crops. The Bame is the case so far in the present season : therefore the already referred to expected large increase in the production. The success of the industry thin demonstrated from statistics, it may be added is due not only to the perfections in the manufacturing methods (which have boon of an exceedingly progressive nature, particularly to during tho last ten years), but also to the vast scientific improvements in the cultivation of the crop itself. The sugar-baet grower and the beet-sugar manufacturer have in this respect, under the aid of wise fiscal legislation, co-operated in a perfectly harmonious manner, and the results speak for themselves. German statistics tell us that, with the rational scientific attention devoted to the crop, tho yield of weight per unit of area has been increasing continually at the rate of something like 25 per cent, every ten years while at the same time the quality of the roots has experienced corresponding steady improvements. In the third place the foregoing table demonstrates the tendency of tho beet industry towards being carried on on a largo soale, which may be gathered from the following figures, oalcuhted out from tho data quoted: In 1836-37, each factory put through on the average, 208 tons of beet in the season : 1840-41, 2,100 tons ; 1850-51, 4,001 tons ; 1860-61, 7,963 tons : 1870-71, 10,068 tons ; 1880-81, 18,990 tons; 1890-91, 26,166 tons.

Such tendency of the industry to largescale work way be etill better shown by the appended data, which are derived from another as reliable source, and refer to the quantity of beet-roots, put through on the average by every German factory in twenty-four hours during the last few years, thus: In 1872-73 each factory has worked up, in the average, per day 73 tons of roots ; 1875-76, 71 tons ; 1880-81, 164 tons; 1884-85, 214 tons; 1891-92, 246 tons; 1892-93, 294 tons; 1893-94, 331 tons; and during the present season this quantity will be highor still. It is nowadays, indeed, a firmly-established principle, which is unrefutable, that no financial success can be expected from sugar-beet factories operating on a small scale. Authorities are most emphatic on this point. Thus:— Dr. H. Claassen, of Masgeburg, says, "Necessity requires the greatest capa» city for any individual factory." The Central Journal for the Sugar Industry (Berlin, 14th Juna, 1894), •« This industry can only exist by Lrge factories and most modern principles." Mr Savile Grant, of Paris, says, " Beetroot sugar-faetories can only hope to succeed when carried on on a large scale by competent persons, and with the help of machinery and chemical appliances requiring the command of considerable capital." •

Dr. U. Schwarzwaller, a great German authority, states, " The time of small sugar-factories has passed." The tendency referred to prevails also in other couutries, especially in Austria, where the average daily capacity of factories is considerably higher than in Germany ; while France affords a most striking example, the number of works there having dwindled down from 518 ten years ago to 368 in 1893, and yet their combined sugar outpnt has been steadily on the increase. The same is the case in Russia, where originally they hadscirted on a very miniature scale. In that country in 1859—60 there were no less than 424 factorisß, producing the small total of 26,619 tons of sugar, while last year 650,000 tons were manufactured in 262 establishments. At this stage a brief glance at the inner working of the beet industry in California (the country to which we rightly like to look for examples) will not be out of place. General statistics of the industry in that country as a whole are not yet available ; but we have tho return of individual factories, which for our purpose will bo just as valuable, and perhaps more so : 1. Tho Western Beet-sugar Company's factory at Watsonville, the first properlyiustalled factory in California, during its first campaign in 1887-8 S produced 1,640 tons of raw sugar from 14,077 tons of beet-roots (polarising in tho mean 14'65 per cent.) This is equal to a sugar yield of 11'65 per cent.—i.o., 1 ton of sugar has been produced from B*sß tons of beetroots. 2. The same factory in 1893 handled 65,396* tons of beets, from which tons of sugar were made—that is, it took 8.42 tons of beets, for 1 ton of sugar, being equal to a yield of ITB7 per ceut. This factory was in 18S7 erected for a daily capacity of 23 tons of roots. Since then it has been annually enlarged, and during the present season it is working up tho largo quantity of 1,000 tons of beets per day. 3. The Chino Valley Beet-sugar Company's factory in Southern California, in its third campaign of 1893, has put through 51,311 tons of beets, at tho rate of 600 tens per day ; and tho output of raw sugar was 6,746 tonH, which means a yield of 13*16 per cent., or 1 ton of suger requiring 7*60 Wis of roots. This factory was originally installed for 300 tons of beets psr day. For its third working

season it has been enlarged to 600 day tons, as stated ; while at the present time, after another expansion, it too is consuming daily the enormous quautity of 1,000 tons of beet-roots every twenty-four hours. It will be seen from these facts that California has closely followed the experience the beot industry of Germany is teaching. Their sugar yields come up to those of Germany at the present time, and shortly, no doubt, they will surpass them on account of the more favourable Californian climatic conditions. They have, irrespective of the large outlays connected therewith, adopted the largescale work (the Chiuo factory now represents an investment of £150,000) ; and they have most positively succeeded, whereas (see above) small factories had previously met with disasters in that country. These facts from a country to which this colony bears such a close resemblance in every respect are very significantly instructive for our own case. "We will not go wrong if we follow the example set by California. So for the manufacturing aspect of the beet industry has been principally dealt with, and it remains now to look at the sugar-beet from a grower's point of view.

Gross returns from the 36 acres = 649 tons per acre), at 17s. = £551 13s. Gross returns per acre = £ls 6s. sd. ' Net returns from the 36 acres = £330 Is. 4d., beinj equivalent to £9 3s. 4d. per acre. 2. Among the very successful beet farmers on the Chino Ranch are tho Gustafson Brothers (Louis, Victor, and Charles). They came to Chino three years ago without any capital whatever, and commenced beet-farming on their own account, doing their work themselves ohoroughly. The result was that they

Gross returns from the 20 acres = 439 tons (= 21 tons 16 cwt. per acre), at 18s. = £392 83. Gross returns per acre = £l9 12s. 4d. Net returns from the 20 acres = £275 10s.—i.e., £l3 15s. 6d. por acre. The applicability of these two statements to Victorian farmers must be left to their own judgment. It seems fair enough, howevor, to assume that what they can do in California we can do here to. In any case, the data just supplied indicate that our farmers will be well enabled to sell their beet-crops to a sugarfactory, with not a small, margin of profit, at even considerably less than 16s. per ton. The yield per aero in the two cases quoted has been 18 tons and 21 tons 16 cwt. respectively. Besides these two returns there are twenty-four others to hand, relating to the 1893 season, for a total area of 308 acres, which gave 6,098 tons of beets—i.e., an average of 19 tons 18 cwt. per acre—their mean quality being represented by 14"118 per cent, of BURar, and the price realised averaging 17s. sd. per ton. In the face of the above facts, coming from a country which is all but a replica of our own, the .assumption must appear quite justified that a yield of 20 tens to the acre on the average may rightly bo anticipated. After having thus prepared the way, lot us now proceed to demonstrate what the probable cost will be to produce sugar from beet-roots in the colony. This will be deduced from a practical instance from Germany, for which purpose the beetstigar factory at Rostock in the grand Duchy of Mecklenburg during its 1890-91 campaign has been chosen. This factory has a daily capacity of 300 tons of best-roots. The paid-up capital of the oompany is £30,000 ; debentures, £11.050 ; other ceeditors, £12,669. Therefore the company has been workin? with a total capital of £53,719. The cost of the works has been £44,000, including site, buildings, machinery, etc. During the season stated the factory has worked up 34,385 tons of beet-roots, from which 4,155 8 tons of raw sugar were produced—that is to say. each ton of sugar was made from 8'27 of roots, the corresponding yield being 12-09 per cent , which, by the way, is the exact average result of the 406 factories at that season in operation in the whole German Empire (see previouslyquoted statistics). Therefore the instance selected is a thoroughly representative one. The total workine expenses of this establishment were £48,380 14s 4d, which is at the rate of £1 8s Id per ton of beet-roots, including their own purchasing price : while the producing cost of sugar has been £ll 13s per ton. The expenditure side of the balance-sheet

Wo will omit the consideration of claims which systematical beet-culture lays upon tho numerous beneficial influences it exercises—we will take them for granted ; but v, o will inquire into the question briefly as to whether it will prove a remunerative crop to our farmers, who are well aware that our land and climate will produce most excellent sugar-beet in satisfactory quantities. In pursuing the subject it will be well to again look to California for parallels, which will be best illustrated by figures : 1. Mr George C. Noore, of Chino, San Bernardino County, Southern California, in 1893, has'planted 36 acres of beets. He did the team-work and a large part of tho labour upon the crops himself, hiring no more than he could avoid. He is an energetic, painstaking, and careful man, and his care has been well rewarded. In making a statement of his expenses on the crop, ho included his own labour and that of his teams. His actual expenses in money wore, therefore, much loss than the figures given. His account on the 3G acres stands as set out in the first column of the following table, columns two and being calulated out per acre and per I ton of beets respectively:—

have been successful in every crop they have planted. They bought 20 aores of choice land for £35 per acre, and they have to-day a cloar deed, having paid for it from beets raised on the land. They have for the 1893 season kept a carefully itemized account of their exposes of their 20 acres of beets, including their own work (which they counted at 6s. per day, and which amounted to £65). They harvested from the 20 acres 436 tons—that is, 21 tons 16 cwt. per acre—for which they recoived 18s per ton. The figures are, —

is as follows, with the items at per 1 ton of beets : Per ton of roots. & s. (1. £ s. d. 1. 34,385 tons of beets.. 30,109 17 8 .. 0 17 0 2. Fuel 4,784 0 C .. 0 2 8J 3. Limestone, etc. .. 1,385 510..0 0 10 4. Labour .. .. 3,137 0 7 .. 0 110 5. Technical manag'm'nt 1,151 17 G .. 0 0 8 0. Sundries .. .. 4,110 19 4.. 0 2 6J 7. Depreciation, etc. .. 3,0% 311 .. 0 2 1 Totals .. ..£18,380 14 4..£1 8 1 It will be right to state here that tho Rostock factory, chosen for purposes of comparative estimates, is by no means one showing a very cheap manufacture ; it is, on the contrary, one considerably ' above the average in this respect. This can be very briefly demonstrated. In all, eight complete factory returns have been available to choose from. They respectively refer to the following factories in the German Empire, against the names being placed the proportion of cost of beetroots to working expenses, the former being taken as unit for the purpose of rendering the comparison more readily intelligible : (1) Ebeleben, 1 to 0.72 ; (2) Ringelheim, 1 to 0.62 ; (3) Rostock, 1 to 0.61 ; (4) Gilbach, 1 to 0.53 ; (5) Gottingen, 1 to Culmsee, 1 to 0.52 ; (7) Harsum, 1 to 0.49 ; (S) Bedberg, Ito 0.44. It will be seen that the Rostock factory figures third highest in this list, exceeding the mean of the eight cases by very nearly 10 per cent. Looking now at the items of expenditure above quoted seriatim, and considering what notifications wc have to nuke on account of the difference of conditions in this country against Germany, the following conclusions will be arrived at : 1. Beetroots.—There is no doubt that bur fertile soil and delicate climate will admit of this crop being produced considerably cheaper here than is the case in Germany or Europe generally. For one thing, our yield per acre will undoubtedly exceed that of the Old World. True, labour is very cheap in Europedifferent from here, greatly so in fact ; but against that we have the offset of our land being much cheaper—via., only about one-third of its value in Germany. Taking all these facts into consideration, an average allowance of 16s per ton of beetroots will assuredly meet the case amply, and satisfy the farmer as well as the manufacturer. 2. Fuel.—Under this heading there appears above the sum of 2s p«r ton of beetroots for the Rostock factory. Generally speaking, coal is about onethird dearer in Germany than it is here ; and, as it is of very much the same quality as our own (viz., about 12,500 BT.U.), it is only fair to reduce our anticipated cost of fuel by 25 per cent.

against the Rostock one, which will leave for our case the sum of 2s Id per ton of beets. 3. Limestone, &c, which in our German instance required lOd, will in this colony certainly require no higher outlay H—in all probability lower ones. It will therefore be safe to adhere to the same figure for our estimates. 4. The question of labour is vastly different here to what it is in Europe. On the whole, it may be taken that in this country it is two and a half times higher, and by multiplying the Rostock figure accordingly 4s (3d per ton of beets will result. 5. Technical management, like labour, should be increased to 250 per cent., thus giving; Is Sd. 6. Sundries may bz placed at 3s bore, agaiii3t Rostock's 2s skl, which latter, in comparison with other establishments, is somewhat high ; but an increase to 3s for our case will assuredly cover every evcutuality. 7. Depreciation, &c—lt is but right to allow a little more under this heading in this colony, for our works will cost more by about 20 per cent. ; and, increasing the Rostock amount that much, 2s Gd per ton of beets will result for our adoption. Recapitulating now these figures, we find that to work up in this colony 1 ton of beetroots on a scale corresponding with that of Rostock—viz., at the rate of 300 tons per day—will require the following outlays : (1) Beet roots, 16s ; (2) fuel, 2s Id ; (3) limestone, &c, lOd ; (4) labour, 4s 6'd ; (5) technical management, Is Sd ; (6) sundries, 3s ; (7) depreciation, 2s 6d ; total working cost, £1 lOa 7d per 1 ton of beet-roots. Anticipating that it will take 8| tons of the raw material to each ton of sugar (= to a yield of 11'77 per cent.) of at least 91 per cent, refining-value, it follows the producing cost of the latter would be £l2 19s ll|d, or, say, £l3. With higher yields—which even our young experience, with the quality of our beet-roots, fully warrants us to expect- the producing cost of sugar would, of course, be materially reduced. Thus, assuming the high probability that we will attain the same yield as the Chino factory in California during the 1893 campaign—viz., 13*16 per cent., or 1 ton of sugar requiring 7*6 tons of beets —the producing coat of 1 ton of raw sugar would be only £ll 12s Gd. It is but right to emphasise the fact that these figures refer to a 300 day ton (D.T.) factory. For one of a larger capacity the producing cost will be smaller, while, it will be considerably higher for a smaller one. . The relative merits of various-sized establishments in regard to producing cose of sugar may be gleaned from the following carefully compiled table i (I) 500 D.T. factory, producing cost of sugar, £l2 10s 9d per ton; (2) 300 D.T. factory, £l3 per ton ; (3) 200 D.T. factory, £l3 17s per ton ; (4) 150 D.T. factory, £ls 5s per ton ; (5) 100 D.T. factory, £l6 17s Gd per ton ; (6) 70 D.T. factory, £lB 10s per ton; (7) 30 D.T. factory, £27 per ton. From these figures it is easily seen on what scale beet-sugar manufacture is likely to begin to be a payable industry in Victoria. The beetroot sugar question is a most important one aud will have to be dealt with by the Legislature, and the foregoing is the beet and most complete information on this large subject available. From what has been read it will appear clear that the sugar grov\ n within the temperate zone, viz., beet sugar, is fast becoming the sugar of the world. That, therefore, we in New Zealand shall have to consume our share of it whether we grow it or not. We are blessed with a country and climate second to none in the world for the production of sugar-beet; are we then with all this information before us to sit idly by and be fed with sugar grown by other and more enterprising colonies ? Or shall we. by every means at our disposal try to utilise our great resources and so supply at any rate our local requirements, of say 30,000 tons, for which we now pay say £400,000 per annum. The verdicts of unquestionable authorities is that beet sugar occupies the foremost industrial place in all the principal countries of Europe. Repeating an authority already giren, " It has rendered to modern society the greatest service, at the same time attaining for itself the highest degree of prosperity and glory to which any industry ever had the ambition to aspire." All beetproducing countries share these convictions. Thiers, the historian, called it "The Providence of tho Empire," and similar phrases might be quoted indefinitely. What shall then be New Zealand's attitude towards " This most important element of national prosperity." The answer lies with our people, and the object of this paper is to arouse them to recognise its importance and through them the Government of the colony to their duty of encouraging and assisting by wise legislation its development and thereby securing incalculable benefits to the colony.

Year. Germany, Austria, France. 1865-66... 180,000 80,000 270,000 1871-72... 189,166 161,527 335,351 1875-76... 305,000 170,000 475,000 1880-81... 594,223 498,082 333,614 1884-85... 1,155,000 558,000 308,000 1890-91... 1,331,965 778,473 694,037 1891-92... 1,198,156 786,566 650,377 1892-98... 1,225,331 802,577 588,838 1893-94... 1,390,000 841,809 579,111 1894-95 .. Estimated by Licht, of

Russia. Belgium. . Others. Totals. 64,000 30,000 6,000 630,000 90,000 72,236 25,000 873,280 150,000 75,000 30,000 1,205,000 250,000 68,000 30,000 1.774,545 387,000 88,000 50,000 2,546,000 544,162 205,623 156,635 3,710,895 550,994 180,377 135,450 3,501,920 455,000 196,699 160,070 3,428,515 650,000 235,000 186,016 3,881,945 Madgeburg, Germany* 4,680,000

■oo •sf-g o o ° 1 , cS o I* d % III III 1 III J IK 1830-37 .. . 122 25,340 1,408 18-00 5-60 1840-41 . 115 241,487 14,205 -17-00 5-88 1845-40 .. . 90 222,755 15,153 14-70 0-80 1850-51 .. . 184 730,215 53,359 13-80 7-25 1855-50 . 210 1,091,990 87,359 12-50 8-00 1850-01 .. , 250 1,719,960 145,759 11-80 8-47 1805-00 , 295 2,172,039 185,090 11-70 8-58 1870-71 . . 303 3,050,047 202,987 n-oo 8-62 1875-70 . . 332 4,161,284 358,048 11-02 8-02 1880-81 . . 333 0,323,779 573,021 11-00 9-04 1885-80 . . 399 7,070,317 838,105 8-44 11-85 1880-87 . . 401 8,306,671 1,023,734 8-18 12-32 1887-88 . . 391 0,603,454 910,698 7-24 13-80 1888-Si) . . 390 7,890,183 944,505 1,213,089 8-30 11-90 1889-00 . . 401 0,822,635 8-09 12-30 1800-91 . . 400 10,023,319 1,284,485 8-27 12-09 1891-92 . . 403 9,488,002 1,144,308 8-29 12-00 1892-93 . . 401 9,811,940 1,345,904 7-29 13-71 1803-94 . 1,390,000

1 Cost of growing Cost of growing Coat of producing 1 36 acres. 1 acre. ton of Beetroot. £ s. d. £ a. A. ~ £~s~(h Ploughing ... 14 8 0 0 8 0 0 0 5-3 Preparing ground 5 8 0 0 3 0 0 .0 1-9 Seed 12 16 0 0 7 1-5 0 0 47 Plauting 2 10 6 0 1 5 0 0 09 Thinning 21 12 0 0 12 0 0 0 71 Cultivating ... 5 0 11 0 2 96 0 0 1-7 Hoeing 14 0 0 0 7 9-4 0 0 5.1 Pulling and topping ... 74 18 0 2 1 7 0 2 3-7 Hauling to factory ... 59 IS 6 1 13 3o 0 1 102 Factory expenses 10 19 9 0 6 1 0 0 41 Totals 221 11 8 6 3 1 0 6 8-3

Cost of growiug Cost of growing Cost of producing 1 20 acres. 1 acre ton of Beetroot. £ s. d. £ s d. £ s. d. Ploughing ... 8 0 0 0 8 0 0 0 4'4 Harrowing twice 2 8 0 0 2 4-8 0 0 1*3 Seed 6 0 0 0 6 0 0 0 33 Sowing 1 12 0 0 1 7-2 0 0 0-8 Thinning 16 0 0 0 16 0 0 0 8-8 Cultivating twice 2 8 0 0 2 4-8 0 0 1-3 Weeding 4 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 2'2 Topping 21 12 0 1 1 7'2 0 0 11-8 Ploughing out 8 0 0 0 8 0 0 0 44 Hauling 34 17 0 1 14 10 0 1 71 Sundries Totals 12 1 0 0 12 1 0 0 6'6 0 5 4 116 18 0 5 16 11