§ MR. FELLI beg to ask the Chief Secretary to the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland whether the result of the tests of the growing of sugar beetroot in Ireland compare favourably with the production in the great sugar beet countries of the continent; and if he can give any estimate of the amount of the acreage in Ireland suitable for growing sugar beet, and how many tons of sugar such an acreage would produce according to the results of the latest tests.
§ MR. BIRRELLIn the opinion of the Department of Agriculture the Answer to the first part of the Question is in the affirmative. The Department are not in a position to estimate the acreage in Ireland specially suitable for growing sugar beet, and consequently are unable to state the number of tons of sugar which it might be possible to produce. 1665 If the hon. Member will refer to my Answer to the Question put by the hon. Member for South Sligo, on 27th February,† he will see that the Department do not consider that beet could be made as remunerative a crop as other root crops now grown in Ireland.