41* On the ProduBion of Sugar, &c. 



VIII. 



Chemical Experiments and ObfervAtions on the ProduBion of Sugar, and anxfful Syrujts 

 from indigeneous Plants. ^jvSigismund Frederic Hermstadt. 

 (Concluded from page 339.) 



k. Experiments with (he Beet-root, or Mangold (Beta cicla alba), injlituted for 

 the purpofe of making Sugar from it. 



JL HE late profefTor Maggraf* made experiments fifty years ago with feveral fpecies of 

 rapes, in order to afcertain whether it be poffible to extraft from them a fugar Jit for ufe. 

 Atnong feveral examined rapes and other fpecies of roots he ^vas particularly fuccefsful, 

 according to his ftatement, in preparing an ufeful fugar and likewife a good fyrup 

 from the beta cicla. From alb. of frefh roots he obtained \\h, of dry matter, and this laft 

 yielded to him, by extraftion with alkohol, one half ounce of good fugar. 



Relying on that experiment, I had a Scheffel\ of thofe rapes, namely, the white^ 

 mangold meiifnTcd and weighed. It held 130 rapes, weighing 68 pounds. They were 

 then maflied and prefled ; the refidue from the prefs was infufed in luke-Warm water, 

 and prcfTed again. Forty quarts of liquor were thus obtained; which was evaporated 

 to a third part, then mixed with 20 quarts of freih lime-water, and boiled for half au» 

 hour. The juice, which had now a yellow wine-colour, being refrigerated, filtered, 

 and reduced by infpiflation to a fyrup like confillence, yielded fix pounds of an agree-i 

 able, brownifli-yellow, and tranfparent fyrup. I poured one part of this fyrup into a 

 rather deep glafs di(h, in which a number of glafs rods were fixed ; and in that ftate I 

 expofed the whole in a moderately warm place to fpontaneous evaporation for the fpace 

 of fixteen weeks ; after which time I found the glafs- fticks covered with cryftals of fugar, 

 of the fize of from a lentil to a pea, and refembling yellow fugar-candy. Therefore, 

 as the Scheffd of thefe mangolds fells for fixteen grofchen \, and fince the other 

 expences in producing the fyrup may be eflimated at the highefl at four grofchen, the 

 pound of fuch mangoldfyrup will coft three and \ grofchen, which fufficiently evinces 

 its ufe as a fubftitute for the common fyrup from fugar. In the fame manner it is prac- 

 ticable, though by a rather flow procefs, to produce ufeful fugar from it, which at the 



* Experiences chimiques dans Ic deflein de tircr un veritable fucre de diverfes plants, qui naifTcnt dans no» 

 contrees: — in the Memoiies de I'acadcmie des fciences, de Berlin, pour I'annee 1747. AHb in his Chemilchcn 

 Schriften part ii. page 70 — 86. Berlin 1767. 



t The Berlin Scheffel holds 2604 French cubic inches, old ftyle. Tlie Englijk hi/hel holds 1801, do. 

 And 61, a Berlin fcheffels are equal to 88J Englilh bufhels.' — Tranfl. 



\ Sixteen Btrlin Grofchen make about e fliillings flerl. fo that the pound of mangold fyrup at 3J grofcheit 

 will toft atout five-pence halfpenny. — Tranfl. 



prefent 



