SUGAR BEET CULTIVATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7408, 17 August 1885, Page 3

SUGAR BEET CULTIVATION.

ANALYSES OF WAIKATO - GROWN ROOTS, [from our own WAIKATO correspondent,] Mr. Pond, the Government analyst, and Mr. Seigner, of the firm of Seigner, Larnath and Co., of Auckland, who arrived in Hamilton on Tuesday, met the members of the Hamilton Sugar Beet Investigation Association the saino day in the Chamber of Commerce, Waikato Times Buildings, when Mr. Pond read a very interesting report on analyse* lately made of Waikato-grown sugar beet. In introducing his report, Mr. Pond said ho had taken great interest in the mattef, for, beyond the question of sugar production, the growth of sugar beet, he believed, would prove of immense benefit to the settler, giving an impetus to the improvement of cattle and the increased production of the dairy, for no root could be grown of such value for feeding purposes ao the sugar beet. It was with this view ho took up the matter in 1881. At that time the highest tesc gave 15 per cent, of sugar, the average being 12 45 per cent. Results this time were much higher, but he regretted to say the size of the roots was smaller. Then tho roots averaged IJlbs. to 2lbs. each, now the majority were under lib. Mr! Pond then handed the following report to the Secretary :— To tho members of tho Hamilton Sugar Beet Investigation Association. Gentlemen.— At the request of trie Colonial Secretary, la accordance with your wish, I have made extended analyses of the beetroots grown m the Waik,to during t e past season, and herewith I bag to hand you the results of my examination Ihe first roots which came to hand were forwarded by Mr. Wheeller, Tamahere, while another parcel also gent by post from Mr Jame« K unci in an of Marsh Meadows - On May 51 proceeded to the different places where beetroots were grown, and where they had not been dug up. I secured roots I from tho soil. On July 20 i also obtained a few m f°tw ro ° > which had been stored for upwards follows"- 7 Ut - L " xNeilL lho d « taUs «• sa analyses. L. O'Neill, H'milt m : 1 root, 51bs 20z3., 127 per cent; 1 root, lib. 60z,.. 14 per cent. 1 root cent " PSr C ° at ' 1 r ° ot ' ]Ib 6ozs ls " 6 per nv H '- * I!er - Tamahere: 8 roots. 9ozs. to lib. 2ozs. in weight, aggregate ugar. 18 8 per cent. „ ' I ?s® cunibe ' Hamilton : 6 small roots, from 6ozs. to lib. loz., aggregated, gave 17"9 per cent of sugar. * ¥ S. Graham, Tamahere : 4 roots, from lib. to ljlbi., ylel'ed sugar 9 5 per cent. . .'.4 I ok '' ' h'irchill: Three roots, lllbs. to Hex., yielded 19'3 per cent. "J- Kmcimnn, Tamahere : 3 roots, lioz. to 17oz , gave la 8 per cent. H. Wheeler, Tamahere: 2 roots, ljlbs. and lib. gave Jo *2 er cent. ' No. l. Waikato Land Association (H. Reynolds) : 3 roots, lib. soz. to lib. 1205., gave 10-6 per ceat.; No. 2, Waikato Land Associatl n : 3 roots, lib. 6oz. to lib. Boz., gave 9 3pe' cent, of sugar. W. Meetyard, Lake Takapuna : 2 roots, 31bs. and 31b, icz. gave 12'2 per cent. sugar. L. O'Neill, Hamilton: 1 root, weighing 71bs. Sot., gave B'o per cent, sugar, and 1 root, weighing 151b5., yielded lb'2 ier cent, sugar. These results show a higher percentage of sugar than my report of ISBI, and may be attributed to improved seed ard culture. The greatest care has been given to this cultivation by Mr. L. O'Neill, some of the roots raised by him being exceedingly large, and I especially ctose two of these to see the percentage of sugar, which, though much less than the smaller roots gave, returns a hi, her percentage than might have been expected The majority of the roots ware too small, especially in the case of Mr. Edgecombe's. The roots from Mr. Brooks, of Churchill, though huh st in sugar value, were the worst in shape. Those ob'.ained from Mr. S. S. Graham were bidly overrun with weeds, and had evidently betn forgotten. 1 have no knowledge of the .'and on which those forwarded by the Waitako Land Association were grown, but believe iit wi.s peaty, and that they were sown late. All the foregoing ware obtained from the same seed, a white sllcaian, b it the roots forwarded by Mr. Meetyard were a pink-skinned variety, and a well-shaped root. The greatest extent had been planted by Mr. Wheeller, who had paid gieat attention to the cultivation, bat I bavo no knowledge of the weight per aero. The average of all the analyses is 14'2 per cent of sugar, but the exclusion of the excessively large roots, and those which had not received fair attention, brings the averaee up to 16"3 per cent. Ib conclusion, 1 would urge upon your Association In any future experiments the advisability of closa attention to the hoeing np of the roots, thus keeping them covered from sun ight, and eradicating weeds At the same time an accurate return of weight p&? acre will add great value to the data already obtained, If car.- is taken in the cultivation, still higher percentages of suear will be obtained, and the land will be greatly improved by the crop. Referring again to the experiments, Mr. Pond drew attention to the fact that the. best cultivated roots gave the beat returns. The return from the root weighing 71bs. 3ozs. was a very remarkable one, far higher than he had expected, and he had made several testa from it. v Mr. W. A. Graham stated the association had now five varieties of sugar beet seed, some 3cwt. altogether, for distribution in Waikato, so that experiment could determine which kind best suited the Waikato soil and climate. j Mr. Seigner produced plans and section drawings of a factory and the various portions of machinery used designed to j produce 1000 tons of raw sugar during a t campaign. The price of such factory would be £15,000, but he would recommend a • company here to send one or two persons to 1 Germany and select machinery, for there i was much in the plans before them that 1 could be done without. He was, however, not a sugar beet manufacturer, but a sugar 5 merchant. c Mr. W. A:? Graham said it was desirable 3 to have his opinion, as a denier in sugar, as 1 to the relative value of cane and beet sugar. 3 Mr. Seigner said there was no difference f between the two. Sugar was sugar, whether' . made from one or other. As to the suit--3 ableuess of beet sugar for jam making, he % could only say that he had sold hundreds g and thousands of tons of beet sugar to a Messrs. and Blackwell, and other . makers of preserves, for the purpose of jam . making, and that, too, not refined, but raw 3 bent sugar. Before dispersing a hearty vote } of thanks was accorded to Messrs. Pond and Seigner for their visit.