Field Experiments of the Past Year hy the Chemical Branch. 315 



BEET EXPERIMENTS. 



Witli the keen competition of tlie present, and the rapidity with 

 which a liighly protitabk^ industry may tbrough similar developments 

 elsewhere become a poorly paying or even an unprofitable under- 

 takings it should be the work of an Agrienlturai ]3epartment to 

 continuously investigate the possibility of new lines of agricultural 

 enterprise, and search out the special advantages wliicli attach to a 

 particular district or a })articular country as tlie home of certain 

 industries. As an effort in this direction, investigations to determine 

 the adaptability of Victoria generally to the growth of the beet of a 

 sugar percentage sufficiently high to give promise of successfully 

 establishing the industry — finds every justification. The closing of 

 the Maifra factory must not be accepted as the final chapter in the 

 beet sugar ([uestion in Victoria. Sevent}^ years of effort, and a 

 succession of failures preceded the establisliment of the first beet 

 factory as a commercial success in America. We must not accept the 

 failure of Maffra as proof positive that nothing but failure can follow 

 a second attempt. With the view of keeping the question still to the 

 front, and testing the adaptability of southern Victoria generally for 

 the growth of the crop, seed sufficient for an acre was distributed to 

 nearly 400 farmers. In nearly 200 cases the seed was put in by my 

 officer. The seed was supplied ostensibly as a test for fodder 

 purposes, but I availed myself of the splendid opportunity presented 

 for testing the sugar ]iercentage. Average samples of the root were 

 collected by my officers. These roots were taken from a large iiumber 

 <if places in the field, to])])ed, dressed and weighed, and the average 

 weight of the root calculated. The number of roots to the chain was 

 determined in ten different parts of the field, and the average in this 

 case also taken. From these fi.gures a very close approximation of 

 the yield per acre was obtained l)}' calculation. There were 156 

 fields visited and treated in this manner. Samples in each field 

 carefully packed to prevent loss of moisture were sent to the 

 laboratory and analysed. The Table D, on page ol6, shows tlie results 

 of the examination. 



It will be seen that the 150 fields have given an average yield of 

 14 i tons, of a sugar })ercentage of nearly 15, and a ]mrity of over 81, 

 but fine as these results are, as a general average, they are 

 considerably exceeded by the returns obtained from the area 

 extending from Matfra to Traralgon, the area to which we must 

 mainly look for supplies if the factory is to be opened again. 1 give 

 the results of the first and second analyses of the roots in this area. 

 (See Table E, on page 317). 



The results of these investigations will be full}- dealt Avith in a 

 special report, but I might here remark that the splendid average 

 yield of nearly ]6| tons of dressed roots, a sugar percentage of nearly 

 16, and a purity of 83, are figures which will appeal to those who still 

 retain a belief in the possibility of establishing another great agri- 

 cultural industry in Victoria. 



