132 CULTURE OF THE SUGAR BEET. 



scales from which they are almost always thrown upon the ground, even in a rainy 

 time. 



Since 1867, the year of the establishment of the first pipes at Mont Cornet (Aisno) 

 for the length of more than 8 kilometers, * rasping works have been constructed in 

 increasing numbers and at greater distances. There are now in existence (May 1, 

 1875) 240. One of them serves a factory 32 kilometers distant, and the system has 

 everywhere given good results. 



The juice cannot be poured into the pipes in the natural condition; certain preserv- 

 ing agents must be provided, and under all conditions there is nothing comparable to 

 lime. I may be permitted to say that without my studies on the preservation of the 

 juice and the industrial tests of my process founded upon this preservation, Linard 

 could not have thought of transporting so alterable a liquid in pipes of such length. 

 With lime there is no fear of alteration, and the juice may travel long distances. 



"Experiments made in the laboratory and industrially have- sufficiently demon- 

 strated that by the process of the Chemist Maumend juices may be preserved several 

 months, and even several years, and the case in point is but a modified application of 

 this process. The juices therefore preserve all their qualities during their passage 

 through the conduit." Such is the appreciation of Maur<5, the colleague of Linard, in 

 his note of 1889. 



The juice is limed at the rasping- works with one per cent, of lime, Ca O ; the solution 

 is total and rapid. After repose of twenty-four hours or less the limpid juice is taken 

 by a pump and forced into the pipe, which should be buried to a depth sufficient to be 

 protected from frost (24 to 30 inches). This pipe, which should be of iron of the first 

 fusion, has a diameter which varies between 2£ and 5 inches, according to the quan- 

 tity of juice to be delivered, the length of the'eourse, and the accidents of the land. 

 All precautions should be taken to secure a good construction of the pipe, mechanical 

 molding, upright casting, in order to have good close iron, free from bubbles, and of 

 a regular thickness ; and testing of all tubes at 15 atmospheres before delivery, &c. 

 These tubes are 3.3 yards long. They are joined by a socket with a tarred cord, upon 

 which lead is poured ; the metal is finally tamped with .a mallet. The pipe being fin- 

 ished, it is filled with water before being covered. The few joints at which leaks occur 

 are retamped and the pipe covered. In case of subsequent accident, all loss of juice 

 promptly becomes evident at the surface of the soil. The pipe is generally laid on 

 the roadside, where the "cantonnier" or a special employe" may easily see the slightest 

 leak and report it to the factory. A loss of eight or ten quarts caunot be avoided, but 

 it represents at most only 5 or 6 cents. 



The highest points of the conduit are provided with stopcocks to remove the air 

 and avoid (coxps-de-belier) shocks. These shocks are never very severe, the rapidity 

 of flow of the juice never being more than 1 to 1-J- inch per second; whenever they 

 may probably be produced, all possible care should be taken to avoid them. One 

 of the most unfortunate cases is the sudden obstruction of the pipe in full operation ; 

 this obstruction may be brought about by insoluble deposits of lime mixed with coarse 

 pulp, pieces not reduced by the rasp, &c. The surest means of obviating such accidents 

 consists in never pumping turbid juices into the pipe, which may be readily effected 

 by allowing twenty -four hours of repose, as I have said before. Many persons object 

 to this means, because it leaves a calcareous deposit, which must be washed, and send 

 the juice simply filtered through chopped straw, then passed through a metallic 

 screen, or even simply passed through the screen before delivering it to the pump. 

 It is more simple to wash the deposits in a small automatic washer, and to employ the 

 waters to hold the lime for the juices coming from the presses. 



Felix has invented a good mode of purging the pipes of the air which the juices 

 contain, the accumulation of which is very deleterious to the good progress of the 

 work. An iron bell, tested at 15 atmospheres, like the pipe, is placed at an elevated 

 point on the pipe in an opening, where it is adjusted by two opposite tubulures sol- 



# 1 kilometer — 0.6214 miles. 



