10 July, 1918.] B^et Sugar. 419 



• — — ■ 1 ■ 



. I believe, with irrigation, tlie Maffra district is capable of producing 

 enough sugar beet to fully support a remodelled factory, and thereby 

 promote a most desirable, intense, and valuable rural industry. 



American organizations are good, but expensive, and I believe an 

 Australian staff, given the right opportunity, is quite capable of satis- 

 torily controlling the technical, mechanical, and all other duties pertain- 

 ing to the industry. Under the White Australia policy, there is no 

 doubt room and need for both beet and cane sugar growing in Australia, 

 as in America. 



As a Repatriation Scheme, I believe it is, for very many reasons, 

 a most desirable industry. 



The world's demand for sugar is increasing, and the supply is not 

 nearly equal to requirements, which means that the present price of 

 sugar is unlikely to decrease for some time to come. Furthermore, the 

 cost of labour in all the important cane-growing countries is increasing, 

 thereby adding to the cost of cane sugar production. 



The need of greater production occasioned by the war, and the very 

 great national importance of quickly populating this vast country, 

 compels me to express the opinion that the beet sugar industry should 

 be encouraged in the southern areas of Australia. At the same time, 

 the industry should not be introduced in any district that has not been 

 thoroughly tested and proved to have favorable natural conditions. 



Experiment alone will show whether dry irrigable areas are pre- 

 ferable to good natural rainfall areas. The former hold pride of place 

 in America, and the latter in Europe. 



AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH IN AUSTRALIA. 



The Commonwealth Advisory Council of Science and Industry has 

 published as Bulletin 7, entitled " Agricultural Research in Australia," 

 the papers read at a Conference of Agricultural Scientists from all the 

 States, held in Melbourne in ISTovember, 1917, together with summaries 

 of the discussions that took place and the resolutions passed by the 

 Conference. This Bulletin should be read by all who are interested in 

 the progress of Australian agriculture, and is obtainable free of charge 

 from the Secretary of the Council, 314 Albert-street, East Melbourne. 

 The subjects dealt with by the Conference covered a very wide field, 

 including the breeding of cereals, the cultivation of native grasses and 

 fodder-plants, fibre-plants, tobacco, sugar-crops and crops for the pro- 

 duction of power-alcohol, the acclimatization of plants, immunity of 

 plants to disease, the utilization of Australian phosphates, and the best 

 methods of stimulating agricultural research. 



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