THE SUGAR BEET INDUSTRY.

Evening Star, Issue 9773, 1 August 1895, Page 3

THE SUGAR BEET INDUSTRY.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir,—The following is the continuation of my letter on the above subject. In describing the process of cultivation of the sugar beet and the methods adopted in the manufacture of the sugar, Harney \V. Wiley, in the ‘Engineering Magazine’ for April* comments as follows: The production of sugar beets is of itself an art. The ordinary forms of agriculture cannot be used for this purpose Sugar beet culture is in every sense intensive, and not extensive, farming. High-priced lands cm be used for sugar beet culture, on which it would be impossible to grow profitably the staple crops. Intensive culture, high fertilisation, and scientific care in every respect characterise successful beet, sugar culture the world over. It requires a dssp, mellow soil, perfect tilth, entire freedom from, weeds and grass, and a great deal of hand culture. The sugar beet absorbs large quantities of water in its growth, it is fond of potash and phosphoric acid, and it is not averse to nitrogen. It is a crop which should not be grown more than once in four year. ; upon the same field, and this field, by judicious rotation and fertilisation, is brought during this time into perfect condition again for the production of a maximum crop of beets. The establishment of bept sugar culture in a community gives an object lesson in the highest art of agriculture. It acts retlexively upon every other branch of agriculture, so that in countries which grow sugar beets there are better crops of wheat and maize, of barley and hay ; there are better classes of live stock, finer Horses and cattle, and in general the whole tone and character of agriculture are elevated by reason of the influence, direct and reflexiblo, of the culture of i he sugar beet. The sugar beet has beep brought to its present state of efficiency by the application of scientific principles of culture ip the production of seed. The mother beets selected for seed the previous year arc chosen on account of their pet feet form and size. They are preserved during the winter in silos. In the early spring they are removed, and a diagonal core taken from each one is analysed. The beets are in this way separated into grades, those showing above a certain percentage of sugar forming the elite or first grade, those falling within another class the second grade, with a third class lower, while all those which fall bolow the standard fixed for the lowest grade are rejected. Little has been done in this country in the way of the production of beet seed, but for three years the United States Department of Agriculture has grown the highest grade seeds at its station at Schuyler, Nebraska, iu accordance with the principles set forth above. The manufacture of beet sugar also represents the foremost advancement iu mechanical improvement; it is a science of itself; it requires special machinery and apparatus, and its practice is a benefit not only to the persons immediately engaged in it, but reflectively to the whole community. The manufacture of sugar is a continuous process—the operations go on day and nigl-t. It is probably twenty-four to forty-eight hours from the time the beets enter the factory before the crystals of sugar secured therefrom appear, and the process is of such a nature that it cannot bo broken except, usually at the end of a week or two weeks, when the house is shut down for repairs or renovation. An ordinary beetsugar factory has a capacity for the consumption of about 250 tons of beets per dav, and should make from 2 501b to 2101b of sugar per ton. Iu Europe large factories are very common; capable of working from 400 to 600 tons of beets per day. In central factories there is a large number of diffusion batteries situated at different points, in which the juices are extracted. From these different places the juices are delivered to the central factory by means of pipe-lines, usually laid under ground. A central factory of this kind will be found able to take care of the juices from 1,000 tons of beets per day. Let me further add a word as tootle climatic conditions. I make the following extract from a report sent to the New South Wales Government by an expert“ The climatic conditions to which the sugar beet may be subject have a very important influence upon its value for sugar production. A medium temperature, averaging from 65Jeg to 70deg Fahr. (18deg to2ldegC.) during the growing months, a somewhat rainy summer, and a clear, rather cold autumn, will be found most favorable to the proper development of the crop,” I also append an interesting return, courteously supplied to me by the local Collector of Customs. —I am, etc., W. D. Sutherland. Dunedin, July 30. Account ok Suuak, etc., Imported into the Colony of New Zealand during the years 18891893, inclusive:—

Quantities Imported Quantities Cleared for Consumption. ! Rate. | Duty Collected. 1889. It. lb Il> £ s. d. Sugar— 231,616 4d Raw 32,451,39; 482 10 8 Refined ... 26,798,495 47,409,930 II 98,770 13 9 Molasses it treacle ... 359,012 932,092 1,941 17 2 Total ... 59,608,900 48,573,638 101,195 1 7 1890. Sugar— 187,104 Raw 35,166,389 Ad 389 16 0 Refined ... 23,646,373 53,312,152 n 111,130 2 2 Molasses it treacle ... 697,958 1,130,876 „ ' 2,355 19 10 Total ... 59,510,720 54,660,432 113,875 18 0 1891. Sugar - 242.810 id 40,762,452 505 17 1 Hefined ... 21,925,429 53,189,992 n 110,812 9 8 Molasses ,t treacle ... 587,572 1,076,036 „ 2,241 14 10 Total ... 63,275,453 54,508.838 113,560 1 7 1892. Sugar— Jd 176 12 5 Raw 38,505,160 84,778 Refined ... 25,246,071 56,609,254 117,935 18 11 Molasses <t treacle ... 671,130 1,368,274 2,850 11 5 'Total ... 64,422,351 58,062,306 —• 120,963 2 9 —— ■ —. 18yd, Sugar--id Raw 29,119,871 31,810 72 10 5 Refined ... 18,679,373 57,696,718 120,201 11 2 Mola.sses it treacle ,.. 900,570 1.776,810 3,701 15 0 Total ... 18,699,817 59,308,398 123,975 16 7