BEET ROOT SUGAR. 207 



settling to the bottom, even for several seconds, and 

 if the juice remains of a thick milky color, it is a 

 proof that more lime is wanted. 



"One of the little parcels of seven pounds is then 

 mixed with the water, poured into the boiler, and 

 well stirred as before. The juice is then again exam- 

 ined with a spoon, and if the symptoms are still not 

 so favorable as they might be, another seven pounds 

 are added, and so on, seven pounds at each time till 

 defacation of the whole is complete. 



" Eighty-eight pounds of lime to 1 14 gallons of 

 juice, may always be used with safety. It is in fact 

 the minimum dose which ought to be applied. The 

 quantity varies with the quality of the beet root, and 

 the period of the season when applied. Thus, at the 

 beginning of the season, when the roots are rich and 

 full of sugar, the greater will be the proportion of 

 lime necessary. The object of the lime being to 

 precipitate certain substances which impede the for- 

 mation of sugar, it should, of course, be added in 

 quantities adequate to the amount of these substan- 

 ces; for, experience seams to show, that as the quan- 

 tity of sugar increases, so will also these extraneous 

 matters. Thus, a firm, solid beet root requires more 

 than a watery root, and vice versa. 



" On the whole the salest way is to begin with little 

 enough of lime, for it is very easy to add more 

 from time to time, as above directed. But it is not 

 to be inferred from hence, that, on the whole y a small 



