tain tliat sugar cannot be made in Louisiana at prices wliicli can compete with 

 that produced in the ^Vost Indies and South American ports. 



To render this country independent in its supply of sugar and molasses is an 

 object second to none other that can engage the attention of the farmer or man- 

 ufacturer. Hence the following account, from a recent number of the Prairie 

 Fanner, published at Chicago, of an attempt made to cultivate the sugar beet 

 on an extensive scale, and to manufacture sugar from it, must arrest the atten- 

 tion of every reflecting person : 



"Mr. T. Gennert, of the fimi of Gennert Brothers, of Xew York city, had made a journey 

 to Germany, carefully investigated for himself the cultivation of the beet and the niinutia of 

 manufacture, being afforded every facility compatible with the rules of the association of 

 manufacturers. He fully decided to make the experiment on a scale which should thoroughly 

 prove the matter in this country. Having previously travelled over nearly all the States of 

 the Union, making himself familiar with the soils of the country, he decided to locate in 

 Illinois. After having spent some time in examining hjcations so as to secure suitable land, 

 cheap fuel, &c., he made choice of a location at Chatsworth, Livingston county, situated on 

 the line of the Peoria and Oquuwka railroad, between the main line and Chicago branch of 

 the Illinois Central railroad, about one bunded miles distant by rail from Chicago. Contracting 

 for two sections of land, the brothers at once commenced to prepare for a crop of beets and to 

 erect a factory, a cut of which appears on our first page. Knowing the importance of a 

 thorough preparation of the ground, they at once procured the necessary ploughs aud teams to 

 turn uj) aud pulverize the ground to the depth of one foot, not eleven inches. It was mostly 

 done by the Michigan double plough ; a part of it was ploughed last fall and a part in the spring. 

 About one hundred acres were prepared at a very heavy expense. 



"The seed planted was imported by them from the most reliable sources — and planted, some 

 of it beng drilled in, others sowed in drills — aud notwithstanding the excessive drought and 

 the unfavorable weather of the spring, which delayed the planting of a large part of it until 

 quite late, the excessive drought of the summer, and tbe early frosts, they have now on the 

 ground a crop which will yield in quantity as much as the average of the best fields of 

 Europe. As to the quality in saccharine properties, an analysis of them made last week by 

 Mr. Bender, of this city, shows V2^ per cent, of crystallizable cane sugar, and '3^ per cent, of 

 other soluble impurities — of which, at least, 8 or 9 per cent, of sugar should be extracted, at 

 which rate the yield of it would be from 2,500 to 3,000 pounds per acre. 



"The building occupies a ground space of one hundred aud fifty by one hundred feet, and 

 the tower and main part a height of fifty feet — the Avhole being constructed in tbe most 

 thorough and substantial manner: the supporters of each floor are entirely independent of 

 the main frame of the building, and each floor independent of the others, so that in case of 

 overloading-any one the building has no strain. 



" The machinery is driven by two engines — a large and powerful one for driving the graters, 

 centrifugals, washers, &c. ; a smaller one for the pumps and vacrmm-pan. The machinery 

 for grating aud swinging out the juice have been imported from Germany, aud are the best 

 and most improved in use there, and we cannot doubt that abundant success will crown the 

 labors of the Messrs. Geuuert Brothers, who have been the first in the Union who were 

 willing to risk so large a sum of money as was necessary (about $50,000) to make the ex- 

 periment." 



This first endeavor to establish the manufacture of sugar from the beet in 

 the United States will be regarded with deep interest, for if successful it will 

 add another important branch to northern agriculture. 



THE CROPS FOR 1864. 



These are wheat, rye, barley, and timothy meadows. The table shows a 

 most gratifying account, both of their amount and appearance. The fall has, 

 in almost every section of the several States, been propitious, and despite the 

 large amount of agricultural labor now in the armies, there is a full average of 

 these important crops sown. The agriculture of the loyal States, therefore, is 

 starting fahiy for success in 1864. 



FATTENING HOGS AND CATTLE. 



No more important matters could be presented in om- monthly report than 

 the number and condition of these, because they constitute the provision trade 

 of the country, and supply so great consumption of our armies. The inquiries 

 relative to them arc, Jirst, the existence of the hog cholera ; and second, the 

 number aud condition of the fattening!: boss and cattle. 



