SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 
By the end of 1867, there were nearly 2,000 acres under cane, and 
six mills had been erected which, between them, manufactured 168 tons 
of sugar. ‘There was, however, an insufficiency of mills, which caused 
heavy losses to the farmers; but mill-owners did well, as they could 
buy cane for 4s. a ton. 
Up to this time, the industry had been carried on entirely in 
southern Queensland, but it now began to spread to Bundaberg, Mackay, 
the Herbert and Johnstone Rivers, and Cairns. It is in these places 
to-day that almost the entire output is manufactured, the extreme 
southern districts making very little. 
Sugar-growing continued to prosper, more land was brought under 
cultivation, and steam mills quickly superseded the antiquated cattle 
and horse-power erections. 
In 1875, a disease termed “rust” broke out in the cane. This, 
combined with an excessive rainfall, fell like a thunderelap on farmers, 
and brought ruin to many of them. ‘The financial institutions became 
alarmed, and refused to render further aid. ‘Planters, however, were 
too energetic to let their estates go out of cultivation. The variety 
affected was known as the “ Bourbon” cane; but it was noticed that 
small patches of “Rappoe” or “Rose Bamboo” were not touched. 
Those who survived the blow commenced the cultivation of this variety, 
and confidence was soon restored, though many plantations changed 
hands, During 1879 and 1880, a rush set in for Queensland sugar 
lands, and plenty of capital was made available. ‘ The production of 
sugar in 1870 and 1880 is given as follows:—1870, 2,854 tons; 1880, 
15,681 tons. 2 
During the next decade—1881 to 1890—the production of sugar in 
tons varied from 16,660 to 68,924; and from 1891 to 1900, 51,219 to 
163,734. During the period under consideration, a large number of 
“small mills were erected in most of the sugar-growing areas of the 
State, as well as many large factories. On the decline of prices owing 
to the stimulation of bounty-fed sugar in Europe, most of the small 
mills went under. During this time, also, a number of modern mills 
were erected under the Sugar Works Guarantee Acts, with capital 
found by the Queensland Government. These were known as “ Central 
mills,” and led to a further reduction in the small privately-owned mills. 
In 1901, there were some 60 sugar-mills in existence in Queensland ; 
but from that date to the present, there has been a reduction from 
that number, caused by some of the more inefficient mills closing down. 
The highest yield of sugar in any one year was 307,000 tons, in 1917. 
In addition to the varieties introduced from other countries, a 
large number of seedlings, grown from the actual seed in the cane, 
have been raised by the Queensland Acclimatization Society and the 
Colonial Sugar Refining Company. As is usual in seedling work, very 
few of these were of commercial value, but a cane known as “Hamble- 
don Queensland 426,” raised in this way by the Colonial Sugar Com: 
pany, is to-day comparatively extensively grown, and is of high. sugar ‘ 
content. 
' 
594 
