416 Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [10 July, 1918. 



BEET SUGAR. 



Report by W. L. Williams, Manager, Sugar Factory, Maffra, of 

 his Visit to America to Investigate tlie Beet Sugar Industry. 



I left Melbourne on 25tli September, 1917, and returned thereto 

 on 1st February, 1918. 



JSTumerous firms and individuals were visited and consulted, and 

 tbeir assistance and courtesy was much appreciated. All the most 

 important American beet areas were visited, as well as the following 

 representative Beet Sugar Factories : — 



Spreckles' Sugar Mill, California, 



Tracy Sugar Mill, California. 



Mantecka Sugar Mill, California. 



Oxnard Sugar Mill, California. 



Santa Anna Mill, California. 



West Jordan Mill, Utah Idaho Sugar Company. 



Great Western Sugar Company, Denver. 



Greeley Sugar Mill, Colorado. 



Eaton Sugar Mill, Colorado. 



Fort Collins Sugar Mill, Colorado. 



Windsor Sugar Mill, Colorado. 



Brighton Sugar Mill, Colorado. 



Mason City Sugar Mill, Iowa. 



Columbia Sugar Mill, Bay City, Michigan. 

 Also the Ewa Can Sugar Factory, Honolulu, as well as sundry Construc- 

 tion and Equipment firms. 



Without going into statistical details, it should be sufficient here 

 to state that, for the year 1917, ninety-three beet sugar factories were 

 in operation throughout the United States, and it is estimated that their 

 total output should be about 875,000 tons of sugar, or 86 per cent, of the 

 total production of the States, the other 14 per cent, being cane sugar. 

 At the time of my visit, there was a shortage of sugar in America. 



Although construction at present is very costly, several new factories 

 were in course of construction. The Government is using every means 

 to encourage growers to expand the production of beet sugar, and all 

 factory plant may be imported free of duty. 



The price paid for beets last year ranged from 7 to 8 dollars a ton. 

 Labour generally was dearer than in Victoria. The price of sugar at 

 New York and San Francisco was fixed at 7.35 cents per lb., equal to 

 £34 6s. a ton, as against £29 7s. 6d. a ton in Victoria. The industry 

 in America is undoubtedly very active, the factory plants efficient, and 

 profits often reputed to be high ; but some of the natural conditions, due 

 to climate, do not appear to be as favorable as in our own country. 

 With the exception of the limited areas in the Eastern States, the 

 industry depends on irrigation, supplied by open channels or sub- 

 artesian wells. Frosts sometimes cause trouble in the mid-west. The 

 beet seed situation, owing to the war, has been, and is, very acute, but 

 gradually the companies are producing larger and quite satisfactory 

 supplies of home-grown seed. The enterprise of those associated with 

 the American beet sugar business is, perhaps, its most prominent 

 feature. 



