ACliARD ON iUGAR. 259 



All that femains to be done after this is, to decompofe the Precipitate the 

 nitrate of cobalt by potato, to wafti the precipitate, and to™^™? 8 " 1 

 effect its reduction by means of heat. 



VIII. 



A new Method of extruding Sugar from Beet-Root » 

 By M. Ac HARD *. 



A HE roots of the beet, after being properly clearifed, are Beet roots are 



fliced and preffed. The juice obtained is thick, and of a deep a^h/juice * 



colour : it contains, betides fugar, albumen, fecula, and feparated. 



other matters from which it mutt be cleared, in order to 



obtain the pure fegar. In this procef* of feparation it is, 



that the art of procuring fugar from the beet-root confifts. 



In a boiler of tin, or or tinned copper, mix 100 lbs. of the One 46th part . 



juice >of beet root with Si ounces of fulphuric acid diluted of ^ ul P hur ' c "■<* 

 J . . * . r is added to the 



with one pound of water ; then pour it off, and let it ftand juice, and after 



for 12, 13, or 24 hours; 12 hours are fufficient, but 24 will Ending i-izth 



... . . r 1 • . of wood ames, 



not be detrimental to the procels, as the acid prevents any an d one part of 



change in the juice. In order to feparate the fulphuric acid, t' me « The 

 put into the liquor 1\ ounces of wood aflies, to which add ^g^,/ 

 foon afterwards, 2 ounces or 6§ drachms of lime flaked in feparated. 

 water. The fulphuric acid coagulates the albumen, the wood 

 afhes, confitling chiefly of lime, and the lime itfelf feparate 

 in their turn the acid, in form of an almoft infoluble fait. It 

 will here be recollected, that in the Weft Indies, in the fa- 

 brication of coarfe fugar, and in the refining houfes of Europe, 

 lime is ufed to aflift the feparation, and the crystallization of 

 this article. 



After this firft operation the beet root muft be clarified ; Farther purifr- 

 for which purpofe it muft be poured into a boiler fo placed f ation by bo } 1 * 

 as that the fire may ad equally upon all the whole furface of and' ito^nfr!** 

 the bottom, in which it is to be heated to a ftate bordering 

 upon ebullition, but muft not be fufTered actually to boil. 

 After drawing oytt the fire, the fyrup is to be fkimmed till 

 the lkum arifes in blackifh flakes. The liquor is now to be 

 filtered through flannel, which muft be done with caution, 

 left the dregs pafs through with the fyrup. The Ileum and 

 the dregs are good for fattening fwine* 



* Van Mons's Journal, Vol, VI. 



Si Tbm \ 



