CULTURE OF THE SUGAR BEET. 151 



is mixed with the juice from the presses in the saturating-pans or is 

 worked by itself. It is suggested that the method may furnish work 

 for the factories during the idle months. 



The methods thus briefly described have not yet been extensively 

 introduced in the factories of Europe, but they bid fair to bring about 

 important modifications in the modes of utilization of the molasses to 

 the profit of the sugar manufacturer, and special inquiry concerning 

 them will doubtless be of interest and value to those engaged in the 

 sugar industry. 



Those who may be inclined to invest their capital in establishing fac- 

 tories for extracting the sugar from beets in this country will naturally 

 inquire what will be the amount of money required and the average cost 

 of working, and I have endeavored to obtain as far as possible the neces- 

 sary data, but I am quite aware that the figures I am able to present are 

 in many respects incomplete. They will not, however, be without inter- 

 est and value. 



It is a generally accepted fact that the smallest quantity of beets that 

 can be handled each year with profit is about 6,500 tons, requiring a 

 factory capable of working up about 50 tons of roots per day of 24 hours. 

 To erect and equip a factory of this capacity in this country would cost, 

 in round numbers, about $55,000. I shall not give here the details of 

 this estimate, because in most cases it will be found more advantageous 

 to establish on a larger scale, and the estimates I have therefore pre- 

 pared are for factories capable of working 100 tons of roots in 21 hours, 

 or from 10,000 to 12,000 tons per annum (or working season of about 

 four months). The figures I have been able to obtain in this connection 

 are as follows : 



Estimate of cost of machinery and apparatus for a oeet-sugar factory capaole of working 100 



tons of roots in 24 hours. 



EXTRACTION OF JUICE. 



(a) By Mantlel & Socin continuous presses : 



1 root-elevator with gutta-percha belt, complete $460 



1 root-washer, complete 776 



1 root-rasp, with two drums 12 inches diameter ; independent movement of 



plungers and patented pulp-strainer 798 



1 extra drum, complete 189 



3 extra boxes, complete 53 



1 pulp-trough 85 



1 pump for pulp, with 2 cylinders 6$ inches diameter, 10-inch stroke 945 



2 Manuel & Socin continuous presses, with perforated cast-iron rollers, each 

 82,940 5,880 



1 screw-conveyor for conducting pulp to receiving- vat, about 180 



1 non-condensing engine, 12^-inch cy Under, 24-inch stroke 1, 356 



1 transmission of power, complete, about 1,220 



Total approximate cost of Manuel & Socin continuous presses, with re. 

 quirements and accessories 11,972 



