Beet Sugar in Sweden. 



241 



United Kingdom in 1899 is given at over 31,000,000; the 

 annual wool production varied during the last five years 

 between 135,000,000 and 140,000,000 lbs. (avoir.), the average 

 production per annum having been, therefore, 137,000,000 to 

 1 38,000,000 lbs. of wool. In Germany sheep- breeding appears 

 to have been steadily diminishing in extent during recent 

 years; for while the number of sheep in 1873 is stated to 

 have been 24,999,406, in 1883 only 19,189,715 sheep were 

 counted, in 1892 only 13,589,612, and in December, 1897, 

 only 10,866,772 sheep. 



Beet-Sugar Industry in Sweden. 



The production of beet-sugar has become, during the last 

 few years, one of the principal industries of Sweden, and the 

 value of the annual imports has been reduced by over a 

 million sterling. The industry, which cannot exist without 

 considerable protection, encountered great obstacles before 

 attaining its present prosperous condition, owing to the 

 opposition of the advocates of free trade. The sugar 

 refiners also strongly opposed it at first, but have now 

 purchased the greater part of the shares. 



It is stated that the industry, originally established to 

 further the interests of agriculture, has failed to attain that 

 object, the cultivators finding themselves in the power of the 

 capitalists, who, to render themselves independent of the 

 farmer, are purchasing considerable properties in Scania, 

 the most fertile province of Sweden. 



In 1896-97 the supply of raw sugar exceeded the demand 

 by 20,000 tons; but in 1898 and 1899 there was a large 

 deficit in the production, and considerable quantities of 

 sugar had to be imported. 



[Board of Trade Journal, July i8t/i, 1901.] 



Live Stock Trade of Mexico. 

 According to a report to the Foreign Office on the trade of 

 Mexico in 1900, it appears that stock-raising of all kinds 



R 



