38 



EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. 



Experiments with Sugar Beets. — Second Series, sown 9th June. 



Name of variety. 



French 



White (xreen Top Brabant Improved 



Klein Wanzleben 



White Improved 



Yield per Acre. 



Bush. Lbs. 



660 

 612 

 597 

 568 



00 

 20 

 40 

 20 



THE BEET-SUGAR INDUSTRY. 



Much interest has attached for many years past to the cultivation of sugar beets, 

 on account of the high percentage of sugar with which they can now be grown, also 

 for the reason that so large a proportion, considerably more than one half, of the world's 

 supply of sugar is now made from the sugar-beet. For several years past experiments 

 have been carried on at the experimental farms and elsewhere with the best seed 

 obtainable from many sources. The results of these tests indicate (as shown in the 

 analyses published by the Chemist of the Farms in previous reports) that the sugar- 

 beet grown in most parts of Canada when raised from the best seed will on the 

 average contain as large a percentage of sugar as similar beets grown in any other 

 part of the world. 



During the latter part of 1891 the Dominion Govei'nment caused an inquiry to 

 be made in regard to this industry and I was requested to undertake the work. On 

 the 28th of October of that year I visited the beet-sugar factory at Farnham, Quebec, 

 the only factory then in operation in Canada. I then proceeded to Philadelphia 

 where I obtained from a sou of Mr. Claus Spreckles information regarding the 

 recent progress of the beet-sugar industry in California. Washington was next 

 visited and much additional information obtained from Dr. H. W. Wiley, Chemist of 

 the Department of Agriculture, whose general investigations into this subject have 

 given him a world wide reputation. I also visited the beet-sugar factories in opera- 

 tion at Grand Island and Norfolk in Nebraska, where all the information desired was 

 given me by the proprietors, Messrs. Oxnard Bros. On my return a report was 

 prepared on this subject which was submitted to the Honourable Minister of Finance 

 on the Ist of February, 1892 and subsequently distributed in the House of Commons. 

 In this report the rise and progress of this industry in Europe, the United States 

 and Canada were sketched ; the various systems of bounty (without which it does 

 not appear that this industry could be sustained) were explained and statistics given 

 as to the relative cost of production of cane and beet-sugar. In summing up the 

 evidence presented, the following remarks were made : — "It is probable that the 

 strongest objection to the encouragement of this industry on the only basis on 

 which it is claimed it could be established, will be found in the fact that it would 

 require when fully developed an annual subsidy of about $4,000,000 for the raising 

 of which as long as we have free sugar, other industries must be taxed. This sub- 

 sidy might in the course of time be lessened, but in view of all the facts presented, 

 of the greater richness of the sugar cane when grown in the tropics and the probabili- 

 ties of further impi-ovements in the quality of the cane and in the process of manu- 

 facture it is not likely that the bounty could ever be much reduced without crippling 

 the industry." 



In the second part of this report the improvement of the sugar-beet is treated 

 of, the most improved methods of cultivation explained and other related subjects 

 discussed. This report was favourably received by the larger part of the press of 

 Canada and many copies have been solicited by parties interested in this subject in 

 the United States including Senators and Members of Congress.* 



* Copies of this report may be had on application. 



