14 BEET-ROOT SUGAR AND 



find the means of extracting from beets containing ten 

 per cent, (without increasing the usual cost of manu- 

 facture) eight per cent, of crystallized sugar in the 

 first four months of working, and 10,000 francs to any 

 one who should extract eight per cent, crystallized 

 sugar from any beets, without regard to the degree of 

 richness or time of manufacture. 



I annex a table in which is shown the contrast 

 between the average results obtained in 1837, accord- 

 ing to Mr. Payen, and those of 1865 : 



1837. 1865. 



Yield of beets to an acre, . 12 tons. . .16 tons. 



Price of beets per ton, . . $3.00. . . . $3.25. 



Percentage of sugar con- 

 tained in beets, .... 10 per cent. . 11 1-2 per cent. 



Percentage of sugar pro- 

 duced from beets, . . . . 4 1-5 " . . 7 



Cost of sugar per pound, . 7 3-10 cents . 4 cents 



Sugar produced in France, . 49,000 tons. . 270,000 tons. 



The production of sugar, which had risen to 49,000 

 tons in 1837, ^1 to 39? m *839> an d to 22,000 in 

 1840. 



The history of the beet-sugar industry from the year 

 1837 neai *ly to the present day, is but the record of a 

 struggle on the part of the cane-sugar manufacturers 

 of the French colonies with their formidable rivals 

 the beet-sugar manufacturers of France : 



In 1843, the beet sugar produced, was, . . . 28,000 tons. 



" colonial sugar imported, .... 83,000 " 



In 1848, beet sugar produced, 56,000 



" colonial sugar imported, . . . . . 62,000 " 



In 1850, beet sugar produced, 64,000 " 



" colonial sugar imported, 46.000 " 



