778 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE, 



The cost per pound of sugar produced varies in accordance with 

 the percentage of yield, as shown in the following table : 



Yield. Sugar. Cost per pound. 



Six per cent 134,440 lbs. $4 15 cts. 



Seven per cent 156,800 lbs. 3 56 cts. 



Eight percent 179,200 lbs. 3 10 cts. 



In one establishment that I visited in France, I asked in writing 

 of the proprietor, to whom I had letters that warranted me in 

 doing so, his percentage of sugar and molasses, and the cost of 

 manufacturing. 



This gentleman had been very successful, kept his accounts with 

 great accuracy, and, as he manufactured by the old process, I 

 selected him as a good representative of the old system, and asked 

 him many questions, which he answered with great courtesy and 

 in the fullest and most satisfiictory manner. His yield of juice 

 was eighty per cent of the beets worked ; his perceiitage of sugar 

 was 6.85, and of molpsses 2.75 per cent of the juice. This gives a 

 result of 5.48 per cent of sugar and 2.2 per cent molasses on the 

 beets worked, which was the poorest result with which I met. 



In reply to my question as to* the expense of converting a ton 

 of beets into sugar, I shall give a literal translation of his reply, 

 stating that the estimate was made from the business of nine years, 

 in which time he had made improvements and enlargements of his 

 mill, all of which were charged to expenses : 



"Hand labor, general expenses, ten per cent depreciation of 

 machinery, coal, taxes, in one word, every expense, even those for 

 enlargements of works and improvements of machinery, amount 

 to 13.75 francs the 1,000 kilogrammes of beets." 



This is about $2.60 per ton of beets worked. The average price 

 paid for beets in the above described establishment was eighteen 

 francs the 1,000 kilogrammes, or $3.42 per ton, making the total 

 cost of a ton of beets and its conversion into sugar $6.02. From 

 this is to be deducted the value of the pulp and molasses : 



Say, for 1,000 tons of beets at $3.42 $3,420 



Manufacturing 1,000 tons of beets at $2.60 2.600 



$6,020 



Less 200 tons pulp at $2.50 $500 



Less 22 tons molasses at $22 484 



984 

 $5,036 



