Sugar Beet Experiments

Manawatu Times, Volume 62, Issue 123, 26 May 1937, Page 9

Sugar Beet Experiments

SATISFACTORY RESULTS UNDER ADVERSE CONDITIONS Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, May 24. li During the past season tho Department of Agriculture has' been carrying out experiments on the growing of sugar beet in different parts of New Zealand and a total of '29 trials have involved the sowing of approximately 20 acres in this crop,” stated the Minister of Agriculture to-night. “The establishment of the sugar beet-indus-try is at present under consideration by the Government and my colleague the Minister of Finance is investigating the industry during his visit to Great Britain. “ Before anything else is done, however, it has to be proved that wo can grow sugar beet satisfactorily in this country and somo idea of the costs and labour involved on the farm has to be determined. It is with this purpose in view that these experiments were conducted and the crops are now being weighod and analysed by my officers. “Hitherto individual trials with sugar beet have indicated that a crop can be grown successfully under our conditions, but the trials now being conducted are on a larger scale and several of them occupy over an acre of ground so that they are truly representative of the actual farming conditions. Moreover, the varieties grown are those which from long experience have been shown by the National Institute of Agricultural Botany to be the best in Great Britain. “Unfortunately the weather conditions during the past season have not been favourable to most of the crops, and in the main considerably more cultivation than usual has been necessary to keep down weeds. In spite of such adverse conditions, however, a preliminary survey of the experiments just concluded has indicated that fairly high yields of sugar will be obtained from most of tho areas. Although the crops have not yet reached full' maturity tho yields of topped and.washed roots in the best 12 trials range from 11 to 21 tons per acre, while the content of sugar ranges from 10 to 21 per cent. The results in these already compare favourably with tho yields of sucrose from prizewinniug crops grown in Great Britain. “It is not possible at this stage to give any indication of the actual returns or costs involved because the crops are not yet ready for harvesting. Under working conditions, however, a factory would now be commencing to draw supplies and it is therefore necessary to investigate- the yields of sugar over tho period during which each factory would normally bo operating. 1 anticipate tho collection of much valuable data from the experiments, although in order to give more reliable information as regards seasonal conditions it is likely they will have to be repeated during another year. ’ ’