78 SUGAR 



With State-aided central factories, moderate-sized 

 estates, white labour, and preferential treatment in the 

 Commonwealth markets, the Queensland sugar in- 

 dustry has grown and prospered. 



CHAPTER XX 



A VISIT TO A BEET-SUGAR FACTORY 



It is November, and the Continental beet-sugar- 

 making season is at its height. 



The factory for which we are bound is in Belgium. 

 A train from Brussels quickly takes us out into the 

 country, and within an hour we are among fields and 

 farms. We alight at a station which has a spacious 

 siding occupied by beetroot-laden trucks, and as we 

 make our way to our destination, ten minutes' walk 

 distant, we are every moment meeting or passing beet- 

 root-laden carts. 



The factory whither we are bound is worked on the 

 " central " system. At the beginning of the planting 

 season, it enters into an agreement with a number of 

 farmers around ; the latter undertake to put such and 

 such an acreage under beet cultivation, and the factory, 

 which supplies its co-operators with the best selected 

 seeds, binds itself to buy the crops. Naturally, there 

 are certain stipulations for the protection of both 

 contracting parties. 



The roots are taken from farms to factory in barges, 

 via canals ; and overland by train and waggon. We 

 will make our way first to the factory yard and watch 

 the unloading operations. 



Waggon after waggon, arriving from the farms, 

 comes into the yard and discharges its load ; and carts 



