24 



to simply determine the density of the juice of the beet by means of 

 the hydrometer, inasmuch as it is a fair indication of the percentage 

 of sugar contained therein. With the improvement of analytical proc- 

 esses, both in accuracy and in rapidity, it has now become customary 

 to make an actual determination of the percentage of sugar contained 

 in each lot of beets delivered at the factory. Two tj^pes of methods 

 are in use for this purpose : 



(1) The determination of the sugar contained in the juice expressed 

 from the beet and the calculation of the percentage of sugar contained 

 in the beet by means of an arbitrary factor. 



(2) The direct determination of the sugar in the beet bj T means of 

 extraction with alcohol, hot water, or, more recently, with cold water. 



The indirect method involves the use of an arbitrary factor which 

 has frequently given rise to controversy. The percentage of juice 

 contained in the beet varies with the conditions under which they 

 were grown and with the time and manner of their storage after 

 removal from the ground. It is therefore a difficult matter to decide 

 upon the proper factor for the calculation of the percentage of sugar 

 in the beet in each individual case. It is usualty not practicable in 

 the receiving laborator}^ of the factory, which is a very busy place 

 and a very expensive adjunct of the factory, to do more than adopt 

 an average factor and apply the same to all beets received. 



The direct methods of analysis have, however, been recently so 

 greatly improved in point of rapidity that it seems that factory pro- 

 prietors may now consider their adoption for the analysis of beets in 

 their receiving laboratories. For their successful application, how- 

 ever, it should be remembered that the working rooms and the labor- 

 atories should be provided with a great abundance of apparatus of 

 the most improved pattern as Avell as ample room for conducting the 

 various analytical operations. No economy will be found in limiting 

 either space or equipment in the receiving laboratory. The exhibit 

 of apparatus in the case named contains several devices which will be 

 found useful for rapidly and accurately executing a large number of 

 beet analyses. 



In addition to a receiving laboratory where the beets are analyzed 

 as they are delivered by the farmers, the beet-sugar factory has a 

 laboratory for the analysis of the exhausted slices, juices, sirups, 

 massecuites, and other products of the factory. These analyses are 

 necessary to enable the proprietor or factory superintendent to deter- 

 mine whether all of the different manufacturing processes are being 

 conducted in a proper manner. 



The laboratory of an American sugar factory is shown on pi. 40 of 

 the collection of photographs. 



In this connection it is proper that acknowledgment should be 

 made of the samples of sugar-house products, photographs, and other 

 materials contributed by the manufacturers of beet sugar in various 



