102 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



liaDdlin<2:. The press cakes and refuse lime from the factory is the 

 second most evident source of lime. In Germany these lime cakes bring 

 a good price, in this country they are surely worth hauling. 



The loss of the refuse molasses, containing as it does a large propor- 

 tion of the potash resident in the original beets is greatly to be regretted. 



Attention was then called to the fact that beets begin to lose in the 

 per cent of sugar as soon as they are put in the silo. They are living 

 plants, and the vital process continues at the expense of the sugar. In 

 the fall, when the beets are fully ripe, it may be a wise proceeding to 

 run the lifter along the row when rain is anticipated to break the tap 

 roots. This will aid in preventing the decrease in per cent of sugar if 

 warm, wet weather follows. 



Professor Trowbridge of the University advocates washing the beets, 

 as done at the Bay City or Alma factory, in determining tare. 



Mr. McFarland reported that washing the samples reduces the labor 

 in the tare room by fully two men. 



Mr. Scheibler said that he did not think that 95 was quite the fair 

 factor to be used in converting sugar in the juice to sugar in the beet. 

 He has made many analyses, using both warm alcohol and warm water, 

 witli results indicating that from 1)1.5 to 93.5 were the proper factors in 

 those cases. 



Dr. Wiley recommended the use of corn stalks and dried pulp as stock 

 food. The corn stalks are thoroughly dried, then ground, and mixed 

 with dried pulp. If to this mixture some dried blood be added an 

 admirable stock food results. 



It was reported that one factory at least would, during the campaign 

 of 1900, allow the farmers to haul the beets as fast as they chose and 

 the factory would receive them and care for them until they were 

 wanted for slicing. Some farmers regard the pitting of the beets as an 

 expensive item which they ought not to bear, while others prefer to 

 pile them up and cover them with tops or with dirt, to haul them later 

 when there was more leisure time. 



