CULTIVATION OF THE BEET. 23 



quarter (twenty-two and a half per cent.) of the sugar 

 of the world. 



Arnold Baruchson & Co., in giving the statement 

 of the London sugar market in their circular of March 

 10, 1866, say, u The greatest attention ought to be 

 paid by dealers to the beet-sugar crop of Europe, for 

 it is clear that before long she will produce all her 

 own sugar." 



There was formerly a prejudice in the minds of 

 many people against beet sugar ; but it is perfectly 

 well ascertained, that, if properly refined, it cannot be 

 distinguished from the best sugar of sugar-cane, either 

 by taste, appearance, or chemical analysis : the two 

 are identical. 



William Reed, of London, says, in his recently pub- 

 lished work, u History of Sugar and Sugar-yielding 

 Plants," u Beet-root sugar is not only identical in every 

 respect with cane sugar, but much of the Dutch lump 

 sugar is actually the produce of beet root. The cir- 

 cumstance cannot be too much insisted upon, that the 

 seeming distinction between yellow beet sugar and 

 yellow cane sugar depends on the extraneous colored 

 matters present. These, when eliminated by re- 

 fining, leave white materials in all respects identical. 

 There is positively no difference between these two, 

 whether of color or of grain. Grain or crystals can 

 from either be developed to the size of the largest 

 candy if desired ; in fact, at the present moment 

 (1866), France is sending here large white crystals, 

 produced from beet root, to compete with London, 

 Bristol, and Scotch, and other crystal manufactories." 



With the exception of London, most of the principal 



