SUGAR GRO IVIXG AXD ITS JfA XI 'FA rj( RE. \ 4 1 



Wales. It is true that labour is dearer in this part of the world than in Europe, but 



ample conipen?ation -will be found in tlio cheapness of the land, the butter and larger 

 cropj, the larger extent of the season for sowing and luuvcsting, the better market for 

 the manufactured products, &c. The difficulty of tlie introductiun of this industry in 

 those colonies is the Ijackward state of farming and agriculture biciught about by the too 

 flourishing conditions of the past. Tlie sugar-beet industry means intense cultivation 

 and in'gh farming with productions of manure with the by-jiroducts of the farm to keep 

 up the fertility of the land. Tlie permanency of tlie industry can only Jje assured on 

 these conditions. It will raise the present methods of agriculture and farming from their 

 present level to the highest state of modern perfection, and it shows its importance fronx 

 a national point of view. 



The farmers about Teiiterflcld arc taking- a keeii interest in tlie culti- 

 vation of the sugar beet. There is under crop this season upwards of 

 40 acres on small portions. This area would have been largely in- 

 creased had not an unprecedented drought during the winter months 

 prevented the soil being ploughed sufficiently deep. Mr. Lee expects 

 that next season from 80 to 100 acres will be sown with sugar beet, if 

 seed can be procured, in areas to be limited to one acre each. He 

 says that the farmers appreciate the value of the roots as winter 

 fodder for stock — cows in particular — and many of them will in the 

 future grow sugar-beet in preference to turnips, mangels, or other root 

 crops. 



As an encouragement to experimenters in the growing of sugar beet 

 the Minister for Agriculture has granted a sum of £50 to be divided 

 into twenty prizes varying fi-om £1 to £8 for the most satisfactory 

 results this season. 



It seems not at all improbable, judging from the results obtained by 

 the farmers w^ho were entirely new to the method of cultivation neces- 

 sary for the production of good quality beet, that the heavy yield and 

 high percentage of sugar likely to be obtained in New South Wales, as 

 cultivation improves, may result in a profitable new industry. 



The absolute necessity for extreme care and attention to the cultiva- 

 tion of sugar beet, must of itself be productive of much good to our 

 farmers, who will thereby learn that similar care to other crops will, 

 most likely, prove highly profitable. 



I should not like to close this article without a very earnest reference 

 to what is in reality the turning point of jDroductive industry in Australia, 

 and that is the establishment of a name for our produce which we offer 

 for sale in distant markets. The leading idea should be that the very 

 name, xiustralia, should convey the impression that the article is excel- 

 lent of its kind and worthy of the name, Australia. 



