of Sugar in France. 419 
the forms which are denominated Lastardes are filled; the cry- 
stailization of the sugar immediately begis, and is almost always 
complete the next day; so that in 24 or 48 hours after it is put 
into the forms, these forms may, without inconvenience, be 
placed upon the pots for the melasses to run out. 
A good crystallization is obtained when the surface is dry, the 
paste well grained and not syrupy, and when the surface of the 
base of the loaf of sugar cracks and is depressed towards the 
middle, which is known under the technical name of fountain. 
I pass over several minor particulars of the process, which 
would be superfluous, as they are well known to all persons who 
ave at all acquainted with the subject ; observing, that in order 
that none of the juice may be lost, the scum, the residuum on 
the filters, and the settlings of the boilers, are all put into a 
lever press, to squeeze out what remains in them. It is very 
important that the juice be operated upon as soon as possible 
after it is extracted; for, if suffered to remain several hours, 
especially when unconcentrated, it undergoes alterations which 
injure the sugar, render its extraction more difficult, and consi- 
derably diminish the quantity. 
I shall not dwell long on the process of refining, which is well 
known and understood; I shall only relate the improvements 
made in it by those who have been employed in extracting sugar 
from beet. _M. de Rosne was the first who proposed to refine 
with alcohol, which is a very expeditious method, and the better 
adapted for the beet-root sugars, as it renders unnecessary a 
number of utensils which are requisite in the old method. To 
refine with alcohol, the operation must be commenced imme- 
diately as the melasses begins to run; for if any time is allowed 
for the sugar to dry, the melasses which moistens the crystals 
thickens, and forms a very hard coat upon the surface of the 
sugar, which the alcohol detaches with great difficulty: accord- 
ingly, the moment that the melasses begins to run, the surface 
of the sugar-loaf contained in the form is to be scraped, and a 
litre of alcohol at 36 degrees of commerce poured by degrees 
over the whole surface, the little orifice of the form being stopped ; 
the base of the form is then carefully covered to prevent the 
evaporation of the alcohol. In two hours the orifice of the form 
is opened, and the alcohol runs into the pot, charged with a 
great proportion of the colouring principle; the operation may 
be repeated with half the quantity of fresh alcohol, and the su- 
gar is then equal in whiteness to the clayed or fine powder sugar. 
The sugar is then melted.and put into the boiler with bullock’s 
blood. ‘The operatiou is terminated by either claying or alcoho- 
lising it again; but it has been observed, that the last-mentioned 
process gives the sugar a more heavy look than the other, and 
Dd2 render 
