S38 On the Culture of the Beety 



comparing the fevera! varieties of this kind oiF plants, I was convinced, that the particular 

 variety, pofiefled of a long conical root, red rind, and the interior part white, was the moft 

 abundant in fugar, and that the faccharine contents of this variety of the beta vulgaris, called 

 runkelriibe, may be greatly augmented or diminiflied, according to the various methods of 

 cultivating it. 



3. Having treated this root by various methods of culture, I obtained fugar from it, with 

 more or lefs profit; in feme inftances with lofs, or even no fugar at all; but frequently a mere 

 extradt, in the form of a pulp, fmelling like turnips; in which, from the excefs of extraftive 

 matter, no fugar could cryftallize, unlefs fome expenfive artificial expedients, not applicable 

 in the large way, had been employed. Thefe obfervations have convinced me of the great 

 influence of cultivation on the faccharine contents; and I fpared no induftry in order to dif- 

 cover the management by which this root might be cultivated of the greateft richnefs in 

 fugar. I have not only raifcd them under various fituations on my eftate, French Buckholtz^ 

 but have procured fuch roots from various other territories, as from Magdeburgh, Halber- 



Jiadt, Brunfwick, Blankenburg, Ciecfar, and Nauen, with accounts of the methods by which 

 they were cultivated. 



4. I then compared the refults of ithe expetirnents which I had inftituted for the purpofe 

 of obtaining fugar, partly from roots of my own in difFerent circumflrances of growth, and 

 partly from thofe of other foils, which were likewife differently cultivated — By this means I 

 have found that the faccharine matter of this root may be confiderably increafed, and the ex- 

 Jradtive matter confiderably diminifhed. The conditions are : (a). That it fhould be culti- 

 vated in ^ rich foil, which will be beft adapted to it, if it be rather compadl. 



(bj The feed is not to be fov/n in one bed, and the plants afterwards removed to another, 

 as is commonly done ; but, on the contrary, they mufl be fuffered to ripen on the fpot in 

 which they germinate from their feeds. 



(c) The roots muft not be too diftant from each other. In the beft foil, their mutual 

 diftance (hould be one foot : in a poorer foil, ftill nearer, — nine inches at rhoft. 



(d) After they have fprouted, they muft be cleared of the weeds, either by the hoe or by 

 pulling: taking care, when the hoe is ufed, that the earth be not removed from the plant j 

 but rather, though (lightly, brought nearer to it. This is not necelTary, When the weeds 

 are pulled up. It is ufual to remove thi: earth from the plant, when it is cultivated to ferve 

 as food for cattle; for its upper part is, by this management, greatly enlarged, and it acquires 

 a greater mafs in the whole: but fuch management is highly detrimental to the runkelriibe 

 intended for making fugar. 



(e) The leaves muft not be taken off from the plant, as is the cuftom, for the purpofe 

 of feeding cattle. This treatment diminiflies the faccharine matter of the root, at the fame 

 time that it increaies its mucilaginous, earthy, and farinaceous parts ; and, confequently, is 

 Y«ry injurious to the quality of the root, if appropriated for making fugar. 



5. On thefe five pofitions, which are grounded on repeated experiments and obferVations, 

 1 can with juftice and truth infift j and that, with refpcd to the manufai^ory of native fugar, if 



carrleii 



