27 
that he was willing to spend another £50,000 to complete the 
works. Whether he is still ready to spend this trifle of £50,000 
Ido not know. No possible doubt can exist as to the suitability 
of our climate for the growth of this plant, and we have any 
amount of land eminently adapted for it. The crop is ‘very 
exhaustive to the soil, and cannot be grown successfully on the 
same ground year after year. Of course a deal depends on the , 
richness and the natural constituents of the soil, but in ordinary 
cases—and this may be laid down as a rule—beet should only be 
grown once in three or four years on the same land. Mr. Pearson, 
our Government Agricultural Chemist, has experimented upon 
beet root; and in one of his reports he says—‘ It may be con- 
sidered to all intents.and purposes demonstrated that sufficiently 
rich beet can be grown in this colony. With properly-selected 
seed, with the improvements in the modes of cultivation which 
are the result of experience, there is practically no doubt. that a 
yield of from 6,000 lbs. to 8,000 Ibs. of sugar per acre per annum 
may be counted upon.” Although the beet plant will grow in 
almost any kind of land, great attention must be given to the 
selection of those soils best adapted to its successful cultivation. 
It thrives best in a deep sandy loam or an argillaceous soil; peaty 
and also chalky soils are not suitable. It does well in light 
silicious ground if it be rich in humus or in manure. A purely 
-elay land is unsuitable, being too cold, and the long tapering roots 
would not easily penetrate it; they would also be deficient in 
saccharine matter. The land should be well drained. Neither 
marshy land nor a dry sandy soil will yield a satisfactory crop. 
The presence of salt in the soil is very inimical to the production 
of sugar from this root. Monsieur Baruchson says that 1 per cent. 
of salt destroys 5 per cent. of sugar. Even close proximity to the 
sea, solar action on the portion above ground, the use of any 
manure impregnated with salt is a serious obstacle to success. 
So important a matter is this that some of the German manufac- 
turers, when contracting with the growers of the root, stipulate 
that it shall not be grown on certain soils, and sometimes name 
the kind of manure which shall be used. Land which has already 
been cropped should be preferred to that newly cleared. The 
roots penetrate to a good depth if the soil is open and well pul- 
verized, and newly-cleared land may contain some matter detri- 
mental to the sugar-producing power of the beet. 
I need hardly add that stony soils should be scrupulously 
avoided. From what I have said about the cultivation of the 
beet plant, you will see that more attention to ‘soils is required 
than that necessary to grow potatoes, onions, or other roots. To 
renovate the soil impoverished by the beet, various manures are 
used. If farm-yard manure be used, it should be applied in the 
autumn, the land deeply ploughed, and in the spring, at seed time, 
