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Vol. XXIII, Second Series. 



ROCHESTER, N. Y, MARCH, 1862. 



No 3. 



CULTIVATION OF THE BEET FOR SUGAR. 



In 1747, a Prussian chemist, M. Maegraaf, in 

 analyzing the Silesian beet root, discovered that it 

 contained sugar. The discovery, however, led to 

 no practical result till near the close of the cen- 

 tury. France was then deprived of her sugar col- 

 onies. Domingo, which had supplied her with 

 150,000,000 lbs. per annum, became free and no 

 longer produced sugar for export. The price of 

 sugar in France rose to five francs per kilogramme 

 (fifty cents per lb.). The French government of- 

 fered rewards for the best method of producing 

 sugar from indigenous plants. The discovery of 

 Maegraaf was soon turned to beneficial account. 

 The beets at first afforded three per cent, of sugar. 

 By improved methods of manufacture, tho yield 

 was increased to four, five, six, and finally to seven 

 per cent. The cultivation of the beet for sugar 

 soon became quite extensive. The manufacturers 

 enjoyed a monopoly of the market, and corres- 

 pondingly high prices. Secure in this monopoly, 

 the manufacturers neglected the best methods of 

 purifying the juice. The sugar was of a very infe- 

 rior quality. The peace of 1815 deprived them of 

 the monopoly and high prices they had so long 

 enjoyed, and the cultivation of the beet for sugar 

 was greatly retarded, notwithstanding the high 

 duties imposed on colonial sugars. In 1828 the 

 quantity prodnced was only 4500 tons. 



Since that time, the manufacture has not only 

 recovered itself, but has become firmly established 

 among the industrial pursuits of the country. M. 

 de Lavergne, in his recent able work on French 

 Agriculture, states that there are now 350 sugar 

 works in France, 150 of which are in the Depart- 

 ment of the Nord (North), to supply which 20,000 

 hectares (49,350 acres) are under beet-root ; pro- 

 ducing an average of 16 tons per acre, and yielding 

 about 576,016 tons of sugar. 



In 1852, the protective duties were removed, 

 and such had been the great improvement that had 



been introduced, that the manufacturers were 

 enabled to stand the competition of the colonial 

 growers. 



By actual trial, it has been found that 120,000 

 lbs. of beet-root will yield 8,400 lbs. of sugar, or 

 seven per cent., and 5,030 lbs. of molasses. It is 

 estimated that sugar can be produced at four cent* 

 per lb. 



As we have said, great improvements in the 

 manufacture have taken place. One result of the 

 application of science and capital has been to in- 

 crease the size of the sugar houses, while it has 

 reduced the number. The small manufactories, 

 with their imperfect processes, can not compete 

 with the large establishments, where everything is 

 done in a scientific and systematic manner. 



We see no reason why beet sugar should not be 

 extensively manufactured in this country. The 

 climate is well adapted to the growth of beets, and 

 the present and presumptive high price of sugar 

 would insure large profits. The cane contains 

 twice as much sugar as the beet, but not more 

 than seven per cent, is usually obtained from it in 

 practice. This is no more than can be obtained 

 from the beet-root. 



Sixteen tons of beet roots can easily be raised 

 per acre. This would yield, at seven per cent., 

 2,240 lbs. of sugar, besides molasses. There is, 

 too, another important item of profit— the leaves 

 of the beets and the pulp. Both can be used as 

 food for cattle; and it must be borne in mind that, 

 as nothing is removed but sugar, all the manurial ( 

 elements of the crop are left on the farm. The 

 cultivation of the beet root, therefore, is one of the 

 very best methods of increasing the fertility of the 

 farm. On this point, Lavergne remarks : 



" It was -feared, in the first instance, that the 

 cultivation of the sugar beet would lessen the pro- 

 duction of cattle and wheat by occupying tlie best 

 land. But this fear was ill-founded, at least rela- 

 tive to the best cultivated regions. It is now dem- 

 onstrated that the manufacture of sugar, by creat- 

 ing a new source of profit, contributes to increase 



