CULTIVATION OF THE BEET. 43 



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 con- 

 verting 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 jnade improvements and enlargements of his 

 mill, all of which were charged to expenses : 



u Hand labor, general expenses, ten per cent, de- 

 preciation 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 kilo- 

 grammes, 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 (a) 



$3-4 2 > $3>4 20 



Manufacturing 1,000 tons of 



beets (a) $2.60, 2,600 = $6,020 



Less, 200 tons pulp fa) $2.50, . . 500 



22 " molasses fa) $22, . 484= 984 



$5^36 



Yield of sugar at 5.48 per cent., 54.8 tons, or 122,752 

 pounds, leaving the net cost of a pound of sugar 

 cents. 



