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THE MANUFACTUEE OF BEET SUGAE IN NEW 

 SOUTH WALES. 



By James Babnaed. 



During my recent visit to New Sonth Wales I bore in mind 

 my connection with the Eoyal Society of Tasmania, with a 

 view, if possible, to be useful to its interests upon my return, 

 by bringing under notice any important facts that seemed to 

 me to claim its attention. 



Accordingly, I lay upon the table a Catalogue of the Inter- 

 colonial Exhibition for 1869 of the Agricultural Society of 

 New South Wales, representing the efforts of industry in the 

 various departments of science and art, in addition to the more 

 immediate results of the Society in the application of skill, 

 energy, and capital, to pastoral and farming pursuits. The 

 exhibits were 1708 in number, and none to my mind possessed 

 more attraction than the sample of sugar, 281bs. weight, 

 manufactured from beet at Summer Hill, near Bathurst. I 

 was courteously favoured with a specimen, which I placed in 

 a phial; and although from the extreme smallness of the 

 quantity it is scarcely worthy of presentation to the Society, 

 still I thought, as coming from the first exhibition of the kind 

 in New South Wales, and as a means of identity to those 

 unacquainted with its quality, it might not prove altogether 

 unacceptable. 



Other consideratio-ns contributed to fix my interest upon 

 this subject. One was, that the advantages of the growth 

 and manufacture of beet root sugar in Tasmania had been 

 recognised both by the Legislature and the Government, and 

 had led to the wide circulation ofa valuable pamphlet through- 

 out the colony in recommendation of this industry. 



Another circumstance was, that while staying up in the 

 interior I met a gentleman, possessing a large establishment, 

 who informed me that he grew the beet and manufactured 

 sugar sufficient for his own domestic consumption ; and he 

 described to me his modus operandi pretty well in the follow- 

 ing terms, viz : — 



" Sow the beet in soil of medium quality ; transplant in rows 

 eighteen inches apart, and twelve inches distant ; wash the 

 beet carefully, scraping off all dirt, and remove the heads. 

 Cut up, and press out juice thoroughly, which boil in a copper ; 

 then add lime, dredged in until all acidity is removed, as per 

 test paper. Continue to boil until it draws out to a thread ; 

 then stop. Take a beurette or funnel to a pin's head point, 

 with a false bottom, perforated. Then place animal charcoal 



