REPORT OF THE CHEMIST. 99 
is in greatest amount relatively to the other organic matters, which latter 
may so interfere with the separation aud crystallizing of the sugar as to 
render a juice which is rich in sugar not so manageable as poorer juices. 
Aceording to Michaelis, who has devoted considerable time to the exam- 
ination of the juice of the sugar beet, (Zeitschrift fiir Riibenzucker-In- 
dustrie, Band v, p. 261,) the following substances are present: 
1. Sugar. 11. Acid peculiar to beet. 
2. Black oxidizable matter. 12. Chlorine. 
3. Fecten. - 13. Potassa. 
4. Fat. 14, Soda. 
5. Gum. 15. Silica. 
6. Legumin. 16. fron. 
7. Albumen. » 17. Manganese. 
8. Phosphoric acid. 18. Magnesia. 
9. Oxalic acid. 19, Lime. 
10. Citric acid. . 
To these have since been added sulphuric acid, asparagin, and some 
matters derived from humin and ulmin. -The vegetable acids present 
in variable proportions are likely to interfere at times with the stability 
and capability of separation of the sugar by impeding its crystallization. 
Mr. E. C. Erfling, of Council Bluffs, fowa, informs the Department 
December, 1870) of the result of his growth of white Silesian, as pro- 
ucing a fair aud good-sized beet, the juice of which, on the ist of Sep- 
tember, yielded 6 per cent. of sugar. The crop was dug on the 15th of 
October, and a space equal to ten feet square (planted one foot apart 
each way) yielded 216 pounds of root. This was an average of the whole. 
He also cultivated other varieties. By selecting roots of 3 pounds weight 
and examining the juice for sugar, he obtained, from the white Silesian, 
12 per cent.; Vilmorin, 11 per cent.; Knamer’s electoral, 104 per cent. 
Beets of this last variety, weighing 12 to 16 pounds, yielded an average 
equal to the last-mentioned figure. No sugar was manufactured at the 
farm during the year, the object being to ascertain the possibility of 
growing beet in that locality. . 
In a communication from Chatsworth, Livingston County, Dlinois, 
dated December 21, 1870, the Department is infermed as follows: 
Of tho seeds sent me for experiment during 1870, I have the honor to report, first, 
the varieties of sugar beet, viz: No. 1, white Silesian green top; No. 2, Vilmorin’s im- 
proved; No. 3, Knamer’s improved imperial; No. 4, Knamer’s improved electoral; No. 
0, white Silesian red-top; No. 6, Knamer’s electoral. They were sown in drills 18 inches 
apart on the 23d of April, and cultivated exclusively by hand, kept entirely free of 
weeds, but not earthed up, as is usual in the cultivation of beets for sugar. This was 
done for the purpose of determining the relative growth of cach variety above ground. 
No. 1 grew above ground 4} inches; No. 2 grew above ground 3 inches; No, 3 grew 
above ground 3 inches; No. 4 grew above ground 4 inches; No.5 grew above ground 
34 inches; and No.6 grew above ground 6 inches. Nos. 2,3, 4, and 5 gave at the rate 
of 8.75 tous per acre; No. 1 gave 10.25 tons per acre; No. 6 gave 12.50 tons per acre. 
Topped at the ¢ntersection of the crown with the body of the beet. By polarization, 
they gave, the weight of juice being taken by Brix’s saccharometer, as follows: 
Ne . Sugar of 
Numbers. Brix. polarization. Not sugar. 
EE De Gnis .- oso cae yu cuids wo sone esuuce 12, 25 10. 24 2. 111 
SEER Cte iids 5225320205 sev seddece de naae 12. 25 9, 31 2.94 
a SS ence ry aan © epee 13. 00 9. 97 3.03 
BES EGE Rese erepiwase ns -- cess pus weapecedibens 13. 26. 10. 51 2.74 
ae Sane ties 22m con Co anwinnnn eaten 14.00 | 11, 24 2.70 
LEE 3 a a 13. 25 10, 35 2.90 
EE Ae ne 13. 25 10. 29 2. 96 
REE eieeh beater ee eaes Sse ent aewacd Fabs 14. 00 10, 87 3. 63 
