SUGAR FROM BEET.

Otago Witness, Volume 15, Issue 1562, 15 October 1881, Page 14

SUGAR FROM BEET.

TO THB EDITOR.

Sir,— Tho following appears in " Chambers' Journal" of the month of August of the present year upon the above subject :— " The improvements which have lately been made in the cultivation of sugar beet, as well v in the manner in which the saccharine is obtained from tho raw wnterial, have once more turned the attention of agriculturist! to the possibility of growing the root, and producing sugar from it, in this country. The extent of this industry in yotloub parts of Europe, where neither soil nor climate offers •peciftl »dv&ntag«« which we lack, ii enormous. Indeed, the production on the Continent alone it estimated at more tban one-third of the amount of sugar' manufactured from all sourceß in the whole world. The .value of our present annual impart of bast sugar amount* to between seven and eight millions sterling ; and, with the recent improved mode of culture and manufacture already alluded to, there eeemi no reaion— except it be the natural halfheartednesa born of years of disappointment among our farmers— why we should not produce at home tho sugar which this large sum represents. In und«rsaking this new brunch of industry, oar agriculturists would have the advantage of profiting by continental experience in choice of machinery and in methods of manufacture; and they would not have to make a market for their product, v in tho case of a new article of diet, for they would find one ready made.

The above ought to attract the attention of our own agriculturists and capitalists hero in OUgo, when we take into consideration the fact that we are importing sugar to the ralue of half a million sterling every year into this Colony ; and this will go on increasing with the increase of population. This industry is receiving; aorae attention in the North Island, both sorghum and bei t being cultivated this season ; but the latter would be the more suitable for Otago. Trusting that very soon this important industry will be established in our midst, and that your humble sorvant will have the pleasure of sweetening his morning boverage with sugar of local manufacturo,—l am, &c,

Locaij Industry.

October 11th.