10 Feb., 1917.] 



Science and Piodiirtion. 



103 



This is illustrated iu the following table: — 



Table Showing Net Profits per Acre from Light and Heavy Dress- 

 ings OF Superphosphate over Unmanuukd Plots at Werribee, 



RUTHEKGLEN, AND LONGERENONG. FOR THE ThREE SeaSONS 1913- 



1914-1915. 



Similarly with other crops — lucerne. There are 71,000 acres of 

 lucerne in the irrigated settlements of the State. Some of this lucerne 

 lias been recently planted, but the greater portion of it has been planted 

 for 3-8 years. A great deal of it, probably the greater part of it, has 

 never received a dressing of artificial fertilizer since the day it was sown. 

 A series of testa conducted over a period of two years at the State 

 Research Farm, Werribee, showed that the application of 2 cwt. of 

 fertilizer per acre, costing IDs., resulted iu an increase of 35 cwt. of hay 

 over the non-fertilized portion — an increase worth £4 7s. 6d. per acre — 

 thus showing a net profit of £3 17s. 6d. per acre. 



The land in the irrigation settlements is very similar to Werribee. 

 Tests made at Wyuna show the same relative increases. If this increase 

 could be applied to the 70,000 acres of lucerne in the State, it would 

 mean an increased production worth over a quarter of a million sterling. 



Development of the Sugar Beet Industry. 



Another interesting illustration of the value of scientific work in 

 assisting agriculture is the improvement of the sugar content of the beet. 

 It will be remembered that the beet sugar industry was established by 

 Napoleon as a movement hostile to England. He closed European ports 

 to British trade, and thereby cut off the supply of sugar. In 1807, at 

 the time of the establishment of the sugar beet industry, the average 

 content of the roots was 6-7 per cent. In 1813 there were 313 factories 

 Ui France, each having a capacity of lOi tons per annum. After 

 Napoleon's overthrow the young industry nearly died out, but under 

 the stimulus of bounties it made rapid strides, and now it furnishes two- 

 thirds of the world's sugar. 



This remarkable result has been largely brought about bj the great 

 improvements effected in the sugar content of the beets by systematic 

 selection, whereby tlie average sugar content of the beets has been 

 raised from 7 per cent, to 18.5 per cent sugar. 



The histoi-y of the improvement of sugar beet may be divided into 

 three stages. In the first period, from 1838 to 1868, the improvers of 

 seed confined their attention almost eiitirelv to physical cKaracters, such 

 as form. During this period medium-sized, shapely roots were selected, 

 as it was noted that the largest roots were always poorest in sugar. From 



