148 CULTURE OF THE SUGAR BEET. 



Dr. Petermann says that, " Comparing the residues of diffusion -with those of the 

 presses, we see that the first are much more watery and less rich in nutritive princi- 

 ples than the latter. Therefore, the cultivator cannot expect from an equal weight of 

 slices and of pulps the same effect in fattening. By 1,000 pounds of the residues of 

 diffusion he acquires in round numbers only 10 pounds of albuminoid matters, 1 pound 

 of fat, and 61 pounds of non-nitrogenous extractive matters, while in the residues from 

 the presses he will furnish his cattle with 22 pounds albuminoid matters, 3 pounds of 

 fatty matters, and 160 pounds of non-nitrogenous extractive matters. The grower 

 should not therefore pay for the slices (containing 90 per cent, of water) more than 

 half the price he pays for the pulps of ordinary presses." 



But the system of diffusion constitutes a manifest progress, not only in an industrial 

 but also in an agricultural point of view, a progress which should be considered in 

 comparing the two above analyses giving the composition of the dry matter. In fact 

 (we quote textually from Dr. Petermann) it preserves to agriculture, and in the form 

 of a suitable food, the millions of tons of albuminoid matters, which, in the work of 

 the presses, are lost to it, or of which only a small proportion is restored in the scums. 

 Thus a factory which works, according to the old system, 20,000 tons of beets restores 

 to agriculture 3,500 tons of pulp, or, according to our aaalyses, 76.3 tons of albumi- 

 noid matters, while if it adopts the system of diffusion it produces 14,000 tons of pulp, 

 which, holding 1.08 per cent., contains 151.2 tons of albuminoid matters. The 20,000 

 tons of beets which agriculture has furnished to the industry contain 200 tons of al- 

 buminoid matters. In the first case the loss is 200 — 76.3=61.8 per cent. ; in the second 

 case, 200 — 151.2=24.4 per cent. If we apply these results to the calculation of the 

 production of an entire country we recognize how much the interests of agriculture 

 are allied to the progress realized by the sugar-producing industry. 



Dr. Petermann recommends that farmers take into account, in the 

 calculation of their rations, the difference between the composition of 

 ordinary pulps and pulps from diffusion. They should also associate 

 with the latter a larger proportion of dry fodder, in order to avoid the 

 inconveniences which result from too watery food. 



The feeding values of residues from the two processes mentioned for 

 extracting the juice have been determined by direct experiments by Mr. 

 Simon Legrand at Bersee (Nord), and we give below the results he ob- 

 tained. They show that if the modification in price recommended by 

 Dr. Petermann be allowed, the profits secured by fattening cattle are 

 greater by use of residues from diffusion than with residues from the 

 presses, and with an equal expenditure of money the fattening is much 

 more rapid. 



