§ Mr. GOULDasked the Minister of Agriculture the total acreage of sugar beet now under cultivation in the county of Somerset; and how the present figure compares with the four preceding years?
§ Mr. N. BUXTONI am informed that the acreage of sugar beet contracted by the beet factories for 1930 in the county of Somerset is 2,053 acres. The sugar beet acreage in Somerset as returned on the 4th June in each year for the four preceding years was:
Acres. 1926 … … … … 1,358 1927 … … … … 1,394 1928 … … … … 1,096 1929 … … … … 2,011
§ Mr. GOULDasked the Minister of Agriculture whether any land survey has been undertaken in the county of Somerset 1127W with a view to ascertaining whether the soil in other parts of Somerset is suitable for the cultivation of sugar beet?
§ Mr. BUXTONNo, Sir; but during the last three years sugar beet has been grown experimentally, under the direction of the agricultural department of the University of Bristol, at 17 centres in Somerset on 11 different soil formations typical of the county. At all these centres the yields have been satisfactory and considerably higher than the average for the whole country. There is no reason to suppose that sugar beet cannot be successfully grown in other parts of the county on soils similar to those of the experimental centres.