50 BULLETIN 473, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



decade ending with 1902, as compared with 141,104 for the decade 

 ending with 1912. During the latter decade the domestic sugar sup- 

 plied more than 90 per cent of the consumption, compared with 30 

 per cent for the preceding decade. The small amount of sugar con- 

 sumed is probably due to the high retail price of from 12 to 17 cents 

 per pound. The import duty is from 8 to 10 cents per pound, and an 

 excise or internal revenue tax of nearly equal amount is levied on all 

 domestic sugars. The excise tax is not imposed on imported sugar, 

 but an octroi or municipal tax of from 1 to 2 cents per pound is 

 levied on all sugar shipped from one city to another by the city of 

 final destination. Italy exports large quantities of candied fruits, 

 but the sugar and sirups necessary for their preparation are imported 

 in bond, on which no tax is levied, and shipped out again in the form 

 of confectionery and sweetmeats. 



BELGIUM. 



BEET SUGAR. 



Sugar beets are grown in each of the nine Provinces of Belgium. 

 The principal beet section is through the center from east to west 

 and embraces the three Provinces of Brabant, Hainaut, and Liege. 

 These Provinces contain about two-thirds of the area devoted to this 

 crop. During the period 1903-4 to 1913-14 the total cultivated area 

 of Belgium aggregated 4,400,000 acres, of which an annual average 

 of 138,113 acres, or 3 per cent, was devoted to the growing of sugar 

 beets. The year of smallest area, 109,470 acres, was followed by the 

 year of largest area, 158,576 acres. During the period 1900 to 1913 

 there was not much increase in the area of beets. The annual average 

 increased from 136,450 acres during the five years 1900-1904 to 

 144,164 acres during the five years 1909-1913. The production of 

 beets shows a decrease from 1,856,454 tons to 1,770,361, and the yield 

 of beets per acre also shows a decrease from 13.44 tons to 12.26 for 

 the two periods, respectively. The production of beets per acre 

 decreased from 15.31 tons in 1900 to 11.85 in 1913. The average for 

 the 11 years ending with 1913 was 12.67 tons per acre. 



The beet-sugar factories decreased from 113 in 1903-4 to 84 in 

 1913-14, while the production of sugar increased from 209,476 tons 

 in 1903-4 to 249,395 in 1913-14. The smallest production of sugar 

 for any year during the 11 years ending with 1913-14 was 184.706 

 tons in 1904-5, which was followed by the year of largest production, 

 amounting to 345,905 tons. The annual average for the 11 years was 

 268,175 tons, or an average per factory of 2,765 tons. The beet 

 factories in Belgium produce mostly raw sugar, which is sent to the 

 refineries for farther treatment. The refineries decreased from 26 in 

 1903-4 to 22 in 1912-13. The sugar extraction per weight of beets 



