110 



The World's Commercial Products 



with a further filtration is necessary. This having been accomplished the clear syrup is 

 passed on to the vacuum pan. The subsequent stages are similar to those described for cane- 

 sugar, for it must be remembered that most of the improvements of this kind were originally 

 invented for the beet industry, and later adopted by sugar-cane planters. The boiling is 

 continued until the small sugar crystals are ready to appear, the graining is then encouraged, 

 and the crystals carefully nursed by the addition of more syrup by degrees, so that they 

 develop whilst the mass is kept boiling. At the proper stage the mixture of crystals and 

 liquor — the masse-cuite — is run out and is ready to be separated into its two constituents — 

 sugar crystals and molasses. 



In order to separate the sugar from this thick syrup, the masse-cuite is subjected to the 

 action of centrifugal machines. The centrifugal machine separates the sugar crystals from 

 the treacle, the latter flowing away. The treacle is re-boiled, undergoes a second and third 

 treatment in the centrifugal machine-, sugar crystals being separated from it each time. 



After this it still contains sugar and also 

 a large quantity of impurities, and is 

 called final molasses or treacle. It is 

 possible to extract more sugar from it by 

 chemical processes, but these processes are 

 expensive, and the product thus obtained 

 has but small value, so that the molasses 

 is often drawn off and used for the manu- 

 facture of alcohol or in other ways. 



BY-PRODUCTS OF BEET-SUGAR 

 MANUFACTURE 



These comprise (1) the pieces of roots 

 (pressed into pulp) from which the sugar 

 has been extracted, (2) the filter cake 

 separated at the conclusion of the carbona- 

 tation, and (3) molasses, yielding alcohol 

 and potash salts. 



DRYING SUGAR LOAVES 



Pulp 



The remains of the roots correspond to the megass of the sugar-cane, that is to say, they 

 are the residual vegetative matter of the plant from which the sugar-containing sap has been 

 extracted. In its original form it is saturated with water and of no value. Special machinery 

 is, however, employed, and the material is pressed into a pulp, which contains some eight 

 per cent, of carbohydrates, i.e., sugar, cellulose, and other substances, about one per cent, 

 of nitrogenous albuminoids, some mineral constituents, and a small proportion of fat, the 

 remaining ninety per cent, being water. This pulp is returned free usually to the farmers 

 who cultivate the beets, and is extensively employed as a cattle food. The farmer receives 

 as pulp about one quarter the weight of the topped roots he delivers to the factory, and the 

 value to him of this by-product is considerable. One of the illustrations shows pulp being 

 delivered from a factory into a barge. 



Filter Cake 



When lime has been added, and later on carbonic acid gas, and the liquor has been filtered, 

 there remains in the filters a residue consisting of organic matter and large quantities of 

 mineral substances, especially lime. This also is returned to the beet farmers, and is of value 

 as manure. 



