204 Chronicles of Scrence. [April, 
impending legislation on that, on the foreign cattle traffic, and on 
rural education. It is plain, we think, that the agricultural world 
is in this country alive to the many interests involved in its failure 
or prosperity. 
Among the more important agricultural events of the past 
quarter must be named the proposal to re-establish the beet-root 
sugar manufacture among us. ‘Twenty years ago this was at- 
tempted in Ireland, but failed, in some measure, perhaps, owing 
to the insufficient sweetness of the Irish-grown beet-root; but 
mainly, it is asserted, because of a faulty and imperfect manu- 
facturing process. 
Mr. Duncan, a sugar-refiner, dealing with no less than 300 
tons of sugar weekly, is about to start the beet-root sugar manu- 
facture in this country, and has advertised his willingness to con- 
tract for the purchase of 6,000 tons of beet-root next autumn, at 
1&s. a ton. His principal condition is that no farmyard manure 
shall have been put this year upon the land where they are grown. 
Over-luxuriance of growth is fatal to the development of much 
sugar in the juice. Purchasing these in October, he would grind 
them to a pulp, and thereafter press the juice out; boil it with 
lime, thus coagulating all albuminous matters; throw down the 
lime in solution, by passing carbonic acid through the liquid; and 
reduce the residual liquor by evaporation, till 50 per cent. of it was 
sugar, when it would be conveyed to the sugar refinery for further 
manufacture. The main difficulty in the way of the profitable 
growth of the sugar beet in this country is the small weight of root 
which must not be exceeded. Fifteen tons per acre are a full crop 
under ordinary circumstances, for the plants should not be more 
than two and a half pounds in weight, or the percentage of sugar 
will suffer. 
An attempt to re-introduce the crop will, however, be made this ~ 
year ; and we understand that contracts have been already made 
with Suffolk farmers for a quantity of roots sufficient to justify 
Mr. Duncan in the erection of his manufactory. 
Agriculture, in so far as it, too, is a trade, has shared in the 
recent excitement on the subject of co-operation. An association 
exists which professes to supply its members with agricultural im- 
plements and manures at manufacturers’ and importers’ prices. 
And eyen in the direct work of farm management, it has been 
attempted to make the workmen and the master fellow-labourers, 
both of them directly interested in the profits of the year. Myr. 
Lawson, of Blennerhasset, near Carlisle, has tried the principle of 
co-operation in this latter particular; but it appears that hitherto 
there have been no profits to divide. And it seems plain that 
these depend much more directly upon the skill and energy of the 
master than upon the mere co-operation of his men; which, after 
