196 BEET ROOT SUGAR. 



The process of cleaning should always be carried 

 on in the vicinity of the press and rasping apparatus, 

 and the enclosure where it is carried on, should be 

 sufficient to contain a supply for the establishment for 

 five days. The clean beets should be placed in bas- 

 kets and conveyed to the rasp, where they are left, 

 and empty baskets taken back. It is said that four 

 women skilled in the business, will clean and carry 

 six or seven tons in twelve hours. The next pro- 

 cess is 



THE OPERATION OF RASPIN. 



There have been many mills invented in France, 

 for the purpose of rasping the beet ; but universal 

 consent, I believe, has declared in favor of the one 

 invented by Molard. The following is a description 

 of the machine. A cast iron cylinder is set round 

 with rough blades like saws, zigzag and jagged. 

 These tooth-like processes saw> tear and squeeze the 

 juice from the beet. An author, whose name I do 

 n,ot recollect, says that Molard's mill will operate on 

 three or four tons of beets in an hour, with the labor 

 of two men. 



The beet is of a very firm and solid consistence, 

 so much so that the juice cannot well be extracted by 

 pressure alone, on account of its being contained in 

 a great many little cells, and hence it is necessary 

 that the rasp should break these in order to obtain 

 the juice. The process of rasping requires more ex- 



