CULTIVATION OF THE BEET. 57 



ATTEMPTS TO MANUFACTURE BEET 

 SUGAR IN THE UNITED STATES. 



SEVERAL attempts on a very small scale have been 

 made, within the last thirty years, to manufacture beet 

 sugar in this country ; but with one exception, so far 

 as I can learn, they were made when the industry was 

 in its infancy, and when prices were much lower than 

 they are at present, or are now likely to be. 



Those attempts were not crowned with commercial 

 success ; but the results produced were such as to 

 demonstrate, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that beet 

 sugar can now be made in this country with the most 

 absolute certainty of success. 



The attempt, of which there is now to be obtained 

 the most complete published account,* was made at 

 Northampton, in the valley of the Connecticut, in the 

 years 1838-9, by David Lee Child, and the " North- 

 ampton Beet-sugar Company." The company were 

 the successors of David Lee Child, to whom the Massa- 

 chusetts Charitable Mechanic Association, at their sec- 

 ond exhibition, in 1839, awarded a silver medal. 



In their report the Association say, " The crude 

 or raw sugar is well made, dry, and of good grain. 

 The refined shows that this article can be made of as 

 good quality as sugar from the cane." 



On the 5th of December, 1839, tne "Massachusetts 



* The Culture of the Beet, and Manufacture of Beet Sugar, by 

 David Lee Child, 1840. 



3* 



