206 BEET BOOfr SUGAR. 



ufacture of beet sugar. " Suppose," says the atr- 

 thor, "that 114 gallons of juice are to be clarified. 

 The boiler being charged, and the fire burning, the 

 thermometer is placed in it, and should be kept there 

 till it amounts to 60 or 65 degrees (167 or 178 of 

 Fahrenheit.) During this interval, eighty-eight 

 pounds of lime slacked and sifted, are weighed out; 

 four or five bags are then similarly prepared, each 

 bag containing seven pounds of lime. This done, 

 the eighty-eight pounds of lime are put into a wood- 

 en vessel, where they are mixed with clear water, till 

 they become like milk. This mixture is poured into 

 the boiler when the temperature is above 60 or 65 

 degrees of Reaumur. The whole is then briskly 

 stirred for some minutes, in order to incorporate the 

 lime well with the liquor. Before the lime is added, 

 a thick scum will rise on the surface. Lime often 

 destroys this scum, or at any rate, it is suspended in 

 the liquid by agitating it when the lime is added. 

 When thoroughly mixed, some minutes should elapse 

 before the full effect will be produced; then, with 

 a bright spoon, take a little of the liquor, and exam- 

 ine it carefully ; if the quantity of lime be sufficient, 

 the juice will exhibit a number of clots, or particles 

 in suspension, which will soon settle to the bottom of 

 the spoon, leaving the upper part of the liquor per- 

 fectly clear and transparent, and more or less of an 

 amber color. If, instead of this, the lumps are very 

 much divided, and only swim in the liquor without 



