GROWING SUGAR-BEET

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 105, 28 January 1938, Page 10

GROWING SUGAR-BEET

Major Garden Experiment WELLINGTON SCHOOLS For the 1937-38 season, the major garden experiment for schools in the Wellington Education Board’s district is sugar beet. Three pounds of seed from each of three varieties which it was considered would thrive in the Wellington district were received from the Ministry of Agriculture, London. The seed which had been harvested in the autumn in England and sent by air to New Zealand, was planted In all the school plots in August. It thus missed the winter and the result in all cases was 100 per cent germination In all the school plots. For the previous four years, the experimental crops in the school gardens have ' been 1933-34, mangels; 1934- virus diseases in potatoes; 1935- maize; 1936-37, carrots. Sugar-beet is a crop -of particular interest for the reason that there seem to be good prospects that, before many years have elansed, factories for extraction of the sugar content from sugar-beet will be established in New Zealand. The Department of Agriculture has been interesting itself in the problem, following on successful experiments in Great Britain and the erection of a chain of factories in various parts of that country. Investigations prompted the Government to bring from England a specialist in this branch of agricultural work, and the expert, Mr. Grant, has been conducting during the past year standardised experiments throughout New Zealand, in conjunction with officers of the Department of Agriculture. The sugar-beet industry offers great possibilities in New Zealand. At the present time 18 factories in Great Britain directly employ 12,000 men, and in alf spheres of the work (outdoors and indoors) 40,000 men are engaged in the industry. In discussing the prospects of sugar-beet in New Zealand, Mr. Grant last year remarked: "It is as yet early to give any definite information. We are making preliminary surveys and the inspection and treatment of the pulp will be continued as the crops ripen and come to maturity.” The beet is to be harvested about June or July and in district high schools and in the larger primary schools, the pupils will be asked not only to report on the growth of the crop but to undertake experiments to determine the sugar content of each of the three varieties.