§ 69. Mr. FIELDasked the Vice-resident of the Department of Agriculture (Ireland) whether any measures have een taken to forward the manufacture of eet sugar and of potato spirit in Ireland?
§ Mr. DUKEThe Department of Ariculture have made inquiries with a viw to ascertaining whether the manufactre of sugar from beet and of alcohol from potatoes would be suitable industries fr Ireland, but no steps appear to have bee taken to establish factories for eithe 16 purpose. In present circumstances the Department are of opinion that farmers can more profitably devote their attention to growing staple food crops than to making experiments in growing sugar beet. The growing of potatoes for food is at present of greater importance than the manufacture of potato spirit.