4 PREFACE. 



States to produce, within her own borders, not only all 

 the sugar she requires for home consumption, but also 

 to become a large sugar-exporting country, and that 

 within a very few years. It is believed that the sugar 

 beet is the plant destined to effect this revolution, and 

 the reasons are set forth in the following pages. 



The object of this book is to call attention to the 

 importance of beet-sugar production in the Old World, 

 and to demonstrate the advantage and feasibility of 

 establishing it in the United States. 



Part I. is chiefly devoted to the history of beet sugar, 

 and the relative advantages of Europe and North 

 America for its production. 



Part II. is wholly agricultural in its character, and 

 gives instruction for the choice of soil suitable for the 

 cultivation of beets ; the methods of preservation ; of 

 raising the seed ; and of the preservation and use of 

 the pulp. 



Basset, in his work, " Guide Pratique du Fabricant 

 de Sucre," says, " The manufacture of sugar from beets 

 is one of the most important elements of public pros- 

 perity. 



" Resting on agricultural progress and the wants of 

 a constantly increasing population, allied by reason 

 of the cattle which it supports with the production of 

 meat and bread, based upon improving cultivation, it 

 renders to modern society the greatest services, at the 

 same time that it attains for itself the highest point 

 of prosperity and glory to which any industry ever 

 had the ambition to aspire." 



