758 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



matter, proved by the evolution of ammonia, while the heat also 

 coagulates the albumen, rendering it insoluble. Too much lime 

 produces 'an undue quantity of sediment. As it generally con- 

 tains alkali, it is repeatedly washed before used. Its amount 

 employed is ^ of 1 per cent of the weight of the beets. Too little 

 of it produces a greenish, turbid liquor instead of a yelloAV clear 

 one. After addition of the lime a small quantity of the liquor is 

 left to settle, after which it is breathed upon, when a slight scum 

 or cover will show that enough of it has been used. Toward the 

 end of the season the amount of lime has to be increased, as also 

 the organic acid increases. The juice dissolves about ^ per cent, 

 of lime, "the other one, or | per cent., being precipitated. The 

 entire pan process of defecation of one batch consumed about an 

 hour. The defecating pans are small (200 gll.) and numerous, so 

 as to use up small quantities of juice as fust as jmade. In some 

 places lime is added to the fresh juice before its introduction into 

 the defecating pans, to prevent its decomposition. 



Some of the lime dissolved by the juice unites with the sugar 

 to saccharate of lime; this sugar would be lost to the manufacturer 

 unless the lime is removed. This is done with carbonic acid, 

 which removes about 60 per cent, of the lime, and afterwards by 

 filtration, which again removes 50 per cent, of the^lime lelt after 

 the first treatment. 



The carbonic acid is produced from chalk with muriatic acid, 

 or cheaper, by the combustion of coke or charcoal. For this^pur- 

 pase a kiln similar to a lime-kiln is used, where a constant supply 

 of coal or coke is furnished. The products of combustion pass 

 through a large heap of lime, thence through two water tanks to 

 be cooled and washed, thence into a large cooler filled partly with 

 diluted soda lye. From the top of this vessel a pump withdraws 

 the gas, its suction producing the draft in front to keep up com- 

 bustion, and forces it into the beet juice. Six pr. ct. cari)on give 

 with 16 pr. ct. oxygen 22 pr. ct. carbonic acid. Coke and charcoal 

 contain about 80 per cent, of carbon. 



Another source of carbonic acid is lime, which loses about 44 per 

 ct. of carbonic acid gas by burning. This is done in continuously 

 acting kilns, a fuel free from sulphur being employed upon a fur- 

 nace, surrounding the kiln, which the gases enters through four 

 flues. They pass through the kiln upward, thence through a pipe 

 into a washing tank, having three partitions, filled with water, and 



