CULTIVATION OF THE BEET. 



HISTORY OF BEET SUGAR. 



I will proceed to give a sketch of the history of 

 the beet-sugar manufacture in Europe, but principally 

 that of France, where this branch of industry is carried 

 on more scientifically and successfully than in any other 

 country. 



The beet is supposed to be a native of Turkey, and to 

 have been introduced into France about the year 1595. 



In the year 1747, MargrafF, a Prussian chemist, dis- 

 covered that sugar was contained in beets, and advised 

 his countrymen to cultivate them for the purpose of 

 making sugar. 



In 1773, Achard, a Prussian chemist, tried various 

 experiments for the manufacture of beet sugar, under 

 the patronage of Frederick the Great. Prevented for 

 a time, by the death of Frederick, from pursuing his 

 investigation, he did not again attempt it until i795> 

 when he planted sixty or seventy acres with beets. 

 In the year 1799 he presented several loaves of beet 

 sugar to the King of Prussia. He reported that he 

 had produced a good quality of raw sugar at sixty- 

 five centimes a kilogramme, or about six cents per 

 pound, and expressed the belief that his process was 

 susceptible of improvements that would reduce the 

 cost one half. This report of Achard having been 

 published in the annals of chemistry (" Annales de 

 Chimie"), a committee, consisting of some of the 

 most distinguished chemists of France, was appointed 

 by the Institute, to investigate the merits of Achard's 



