THG JOURNAL 



OP 



Y^e department of Mgricufture 



OF 



VICTORIA. 



Vol. X. Part 3. lOth March, 1912. 



THE BEET SUGAR INDUSTRY AND CLOSER ^ 

 SETTLEMENT. 



Harry T . Easterby, General Manager Mafra Sugar Factory. 



Historical. 



The fine building which is depicted on the front cover of the Journal in 

 which this article appears was erected by the Maffra Beet Sugar Company 

 in 1897-8, and cost for machinery and plant some ;^7o,ooo. This com- 

 pany was subsidized by the Victorian Government to the extent of ^2 for 

 every jQi subscribed by shareholders. They carried on operations for two 

 seasons. 



Due to a number of adverse conditions, which are within the memory 

 of most people, the factory was closed after the second campaign, and the 

 Government entered into possession as mortgagee. The adverse conditions 

 referred to exist no longer, and beet growing, which was then totally new 

 to farm-ers', has become quite a familiar operation owing to the efforts of 

 the Government during the interval 1900 to 1909 in inducing farmers to 

 carry out experiments. For the best crops of beet a series of prizes has 

 been offered each year. 



In 1909 it was, upon the advice of Dr. Maxwell, the eminent sugar 

 expert, decided to re-open the Maffra Factory in a purely experimental 

 way in order that it might be demonstrated: — 



Firstly — That beets could be grown commercially and profitably 



by farmers, and, 

 Secondly — That a standard marketable sugar could be produced. 



which would compare favorably with the best manufactured 



in the Commonwealth. 



The details of securing the necessary acreage, to make a trial run 

 Vvorth while, were put into the hands of Mr. F. E. Lee, who. originally 

 2098. F 



