S6 



FARMERS' REGISTER. 



[No. 2 



hands ol' common workmen, it will be necessary to 

 have a nuiuher oftliem at hand. 



The thermometer is used in defecation to jud(T:e 

 of the state of rhe temperature, and tlience to as- 

 certain the proper lime lor adding the clarifying 

 agents. The most convenient place to hang it is 

 near the boiler, and it ought to be immersed in the 

 liquor during nearly all the time of the clarihca- 

 tion. 



Scales and JVeighis to weigh the Lime. 



These, it is unnecessary to say more ol^ than 

 that they should be capable of weighing from 5 

 lbs. to 50 lbs. 



Bin to slake Lime in, and Backets for the Liquor. 



The lime employed for the defecation of beet- 

 root juice is generally unsl.iked, weiglied in that 

 state, then slaked wilfi water, and afterwards, by 

 adding more water, reduced to the consistency of 

 cream. For this operation a bin, or cistern, of a 

 particular form is required: it is, ibr the most part, 

 circular, with a cover. 



M. Dubruiitiuif, however, is of opinion that 

 iime should not be weighed til! after it is slaked, 

 as yielding more certain and iinilbrm results ; in 

 which case, a lal-ge quantity mijiht be slaked be- 

 forehand. It is sifted pretty fine, to se|)arate all 

 the coarse and unburnt lumps, which, in the usual 

 method of applying the lime, are reckoned as so 

 many active agents, whereas, they are of no use 

 at all in the clarifying process; and hence many 

 errors in the general results. 



^ Lead or Cupper Vessel for the Sulphuric jicid. 



The sulphuric acid is usually diluted with five 

 of six parts of water before usiiiii. This is per- 

 formed in a wooden bucket, the hoops of which are 

 of copper, instead of iron. 



Filter for Skimmings. 



An enclosed or covered filter is recommended in 

 prelc'rence to the one in common use, it being im- 

 portant, in order to get as much liquor from the 

 skimnungs as possible, that they should not besul- 

 lered to cool too fast. The construction should be 

 the same as that hereafter described Ibr the juice, 

 only that the one may be made of coarse cloth, or 

 canvass, and the other of fine linen. The filter 

 should be provided with a receiver adequate to the 

 amount of juice from one charge. 



§. Of the different methods of Defecation. 



This is one of the most difficult operations con- 

 nected with the manufiicture of beet-root sugar. 

 The results are perpetually changing, as the na- 

 ture of the root changes during the progress of the 

 work. We proceed to describe the simplest and 

 most economical of the means employed, viz., 

 lime alone, or sulj)huric acid and lime together. 



The first vieihod of defecation — that of the Colonies. 



After detailing the origin and progress of defe- 

 cation in France, the author proceeds to show 

 that lime alone, if not the best means, is at least 

 capable, in good hands, of producing very impor- 

 tant results; and instances the manulacture ofM< 

 Houdarl, near Douay, as one of the best and 

 most successful on this principle. Suppose 114 

 gallons of juice are to be clarified. The boiler 

 being charged, and the fire burning, the thermo- 

 meter is placed in it, and should be kept there 

 till it amounts to 60" or 65" (167'= or ITS'" of 

 Fahrenheit.) During this interval eighty-eight 

 pounds of lime slacked and sifted, are weighed 

 out; four or five other bags are then similarly 

 prepared, each bag containing 7 pounds of lime. 

 This done, the 88 liis. 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 

 Instrument for stirring the Liquor in the Copper. ^ into the boiler when tlie temperature is above 60° 



lor 65*^ (Reaumur.) The whole is then briskly 



This should be a round slick or pole, twice as stirred tor some minutes, in order to incorporate 



long as the copper is deep. A' one end is a round the lime vvell with the liquor. Before the lime is 



piece of wood, about a foot in diameter, pierced | added, a thick scum will show itself on the surlitce. 



with holes. 



ji Plated Spoon t/i which to Examine the Juice, 

 and a Saucer. 



The spoon should be kept bright, that the work- 

 man may judge more readily when the clarifica- 

 tion is complete. 



The saucer should be very white. The use of 

 it is to receive the small drops of syrup of violets 

 and tournesol, to as(;ertain, by touching them with 

 the liquid under clarification, the excess of alkali 

 and acid. 



Large Skimmer. 



This ought to be at least eight inches in diame- 

 ter, and to be fixed to the end of a long handle. It 

 is not always considered necessary to remove the 

 scum from the boiling liquor, and especially when 

 the precipitating system is resorted to, as it forms 

 a sort of cover or guard to the liquor against too 

 sudden refrigeration by the action of the air. 



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 cla[)se before the full efi'ect will be 

 produced; then, with a bright sjioon, take a little 

 of the liquor, and examine 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 liquid perfectly clear 

 and transparent, and more or less of an amber color. 

 If, instead of this, the lumps are very much divi- 

 ded, and only swim in the liquor wiihout settling 

 10 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 lillle parcels of 7 lbs. is then mixed 

 with water, poured into the boiler, and well stirred 

 as before. The juice is then again examined 

 with the spoon, and if the symptoms are still not 

 so favorable as they niiglit be, another 7 lbs. are 

 added, and so on, 7 lbs. each time, till the defeca- 

 tion ol" the whole is complete. 



