of Sugar in France. 333 
time, chemistry furnished the means of decolorating honey and 
depriving it of smell, so that it could be employed in the infu- 
sions of tea and coffee as well as the best syrup of sugar. 
All these processes were become domestic operations, and 
yery little privation was suffered from the scarcity of cane sugar; 
but it was reserved for chemistry to produce in our climate the 
actual sugar of the colonies, and this was not long in coming to 
pass. Already the analyses of Margraaf and the important la- 
bours of Achard had put us in the way; all now to be done was 
to improve the processes, and form a suilicient number of esta- 
blishments to supply the demand. To effect this, the encourage- 
ment was prodigious, and in a single year we saw more than a 
hundred and fifty manufactories arise, some of which have pro- 
ceeded with great success, and have poured into the market se+ 
yeral millions of excellent sugar. The failure of a great number 
ef these establishments may doubtless be traced to causes that 
must necessarily accrue on the introduction of any new species 
of industry, either to an error in the choice of situation, or to 
the great expense incurred in setting up the apparatus, or in 
short to the deficiency of proper information on the subject. 
In the midst of a vast wreck of establishments, some are 
found which have continued to work prosperously for four years. 
| In these we may reasonably expect to find lessons of practical 
knowledge and ceconomical management, as well as the best 
methods of cultivating the beet-root, and of extracting sugar 
from it ; and as my own establishment is of this number, I shall 
limit myself to the testimony of my own experience. 
On the Culture and Preservation of the Beet-root. 
It should be sown towards the end of March or in April, when 
there is no longer any fear of frost. 
It is of different colours, white, red, yellow, or mottled, 
and sometimes the pellicle is red and the inside white. It is 
now known by all agriculturists, and especially by those of Ger- 
many, that the same colour is not always reproduced; as for 
example, in a field that has been sown with seed proceeding 
rom the yellow beet, the produce has proved more or less white 
red, aud this I have had occasion to remark myself. 
In Germany they prefer the white beet-root, in France the 
ellow; but in consequence of many comparative experiments J 
of opinion that they give too much importance to the co- 
jour. I have not observed that the different colours produce 
ny perceptible variation in the results, when the root proceeds 
rom the same soil and the same culture. 
The most proper soil for the cultivation of the beet-root is 
hat which is both light and rich, and of a good depth. Poor, 
dry, 
7. 
