441 
THE CULTIVATION OF SUGAR-BEET. 
The proposal to cultivate sugar-beet in the British Isles is by no 
means new. The subject was before the public more than ten 
years ago, when, in 1879, a Select Committee of the House of 
Commons was appointed to inquire into the effect produced upon the 
home and colonial sugar industries of this country by what is known 
as the bounty system in those Continental countries which manufac- 
ture sugar for exportation. In giving evidence before the Committee, 
Mr. James Duncan was asked if he could offer any explanation of 
the fact that the growth of beetroot was practically confined to the 
Continent ; and whether he considered no part of this country was 
adapted to the growth of beetroot. Mr. Duncan's reply was that it 
was so adapted, but that the disadvantage of growing was owing to 
the bounty system, foreign sugar having a bounty which might 
be taken to be on the average 21. a ton (in France the bounty is now 
5/.), and which acted as a check upon the growth of sugar in England. 
In answer to further questions, Mr. Duncan stated that the bounty 
rendered it practically impossible to grow any beetroot in this 
country, though it could be raised in the east of England of quite 
as good quality as, if not better than, in France. 
Mr. George Martineau, in his evidence before the same Com- 
mittee, said that he had given a very considerable amount of atten- 
tion to the subject of the growth of beetroot in England. Asked 
as to the relative richness of roots grown in England as compared 
with those of foreign countries, Mr. Martineau stated that Dr. 
Yoelcker, chemist to the Royal Agricultural Society, had found 12 
per cent, of sugar in roots from Suffolk ; 12^ and 13 per cent, in 
roots from Berkshire ; 11| per cent, in roots from Surrey ; 1(H to 
13^ p er cent, in roots from Yorkshire ; and 10, 12, and 13, up to 15 
per cent, in roots from Kilkenny. This was in IS 70, since when 
Mr. Martineau himself has taken a considerable amount of trouble 
in the matter, and has grown beetroots both in Lincolnshire and the 
Isle of Thanet ; and, as far as the latter are concerned, has in his own 
laboratory found 15 per cent, of sugar — a degree of richness in 
which England, in his opinion, can certainly compete with France, 
where the average is not more than 10^ per cent. 
The results of experiments in England and Ireland carried out 
last year under the direction of Dr. G. Schack-Sommer, 323, Yauxhall 
Road, Liverpool, would appear to have again brought the idea of 
beet cultivation within the possibility of profitable realisation. 
The trials were conducted on the farms of Mr. John Gibbons, 
Dunbabin Farm, Wavertree, Liverpool (the Marquis of Salisbury's 
estate), and Mr. John Ennis, Springwood, Ballymitty, co. Wexford, 
four varieties of the best kinds of seed having been obtained from 
Dr. C. Scheibler, the eminent sugar chemist of Berlin. As regards 
choice of soil and manure, however, no special care was exercised, 
and the management of the crop during growth was left in quite 
inexperienced hands. 
