FllACTICAL FAR ME II. 



cy 



IPARMERS' AVORK. 



Beets, and Beet Sugar. — We Irave received very 

 many and earnest solicitationSj both from letters and ver- 

 bal applications for plain praotical information relative 

 to the manufacture of sugar from the Beet. Not having 

 had any experience in this manufacture we can do no 

 more than select and refer to sucli authorities as give 

 the intelligence solicited. 



We have, accordingly, quoted from ChaptaVs AgricuU 

 turai Chemistry, and obtained from other sources partic- 

 ular and minute details, which we hope will prove use- 

 ful as well as acceptable. It will, however, require not 

 only science, but time and experience to bring this new 

 art to suci) a degree of improvement as to render it ad- 

 visable for a farmer, who is not in affluent circumstan- 

 ces to undertake to go largely into the manufacture But 

 every man, who owns half an acre of soil, proper for the 

 purpose, may cultivate the Sugar Beet, with the hope 

 of obtaining a very valuable product, whether he gains 

 sugar from it or not. 



With regai'd to the manufactbre of sugar from the beet 

 in this country, it presents a case in which delays are 

 not dangeious. We should look ahead before we go 

 ahead. We are pleased to learn that a palriolic society 

 in Pennsylvania, with an^ple means to insure success 

 has engaged in the concern, and the result of their la- 

 bors and discoveries will be given to the public. In the 

 mean time we can take a glimpse at the prospect, and 

 be making preparation as gool cultivators to aid the 

 manufacturers of Beet Sugar with the material with 

 which they must operate. 



A writer in the Philadelphia National Gazette states 

 that " the beets in this country, particularly the north 

 part of Pennsylvania are most luxuriant. In France 

 they yield per arpent, which is one tenth more than our 

 acre, an average of l.o tons per acre. The White or Si- 

 lesian Beet, (•' Heta Al-a ") the Sugar Beet of France, 

 has been raised vviiliiu >e\en miles of Philadelphia, and 

 produced mucli over this. Wni. Audenried, Esq. of 

 Schuylkill County, Pa., has raised on his farm, of this 

 beet, the enormoiK* quantity ot sixlytwo and a half tons 

 the acre. We are assured by others who are growing 

 the seed, which his b en imported aud distributed 

 through the country by the '■ Beet Sugar Society " that 

 they are in expectancy of producing a \ield equal to the 

 above. 



A premium cop of mangii wurtzel for which Messrs 

 Tristram and Henry L ttle of Newbury, Mass. obtained 

 twenty dollars from the M^.s.-<a. husetts Society for Pro- 

 moting Agriculture ua.-s 33 t ms 10 cwt. and 14 lbs. See 

 N. E. Farmer, Vol. III. p. 21-2. Col. Powel inclosed cir- 

 tificates to the PresidiMii of tlio Pennsylvania Agricultu- 

 ral Society, showing tliMt sixtrfen liuiidred and thirtyfour 

 bushels of maiigtd wuri/...'l, weigliing sever.tyeight thou- 

 sand lour hundred and fortyeiglit pounds were produced 

 on one acre and fourteen perches; and a part of the 

 same field, containing thirieen contiguou.* rows, produc- 

 ed at the rate of two lliuusand and sixtyfive bushels per 



acre, weighing fortyfour tons five hundred and twenty- 

 seven pounds. 



The foregoing crops Were of mangel vvurtzel, which is 

 sometimes confounded with the sugar beet. They are, 

 however, materially different, the sugar beet, though it 

 grows to about the same size with the mangel wurtzel, 

 is of greater specific gravity, or heavier in proportion to 

 its size, and contains much more saccharine matter. A 

 writer for the New England Farmer, with the signature 

 A. B., Vol. VllL p. 222, prefers the Sugar Beet to the 

 Mangel Wurtzel, and recommends it as " affording a 

 beautiful crt)p of largo sound roots, which if not so large 

 as the mangel wurtzel, I think are heavier and will keep 

 better. Tiieir use as food for my cows has produced a 

 decided improvement in the quality of their milk, which 

 has been perceptible to all my family, in two days after 

 I began to feed them out to my cows." 



Thus wc see that the Sugar Beet, considered as an 

 article for feeding domestic animals, without regard to 

 obtaining sugar from it, is one of the best products to 

 which cultivators can turn their attention The manu- 

 facturing of this root into sugar is not a farmer's busi- 

 ness, but should, at le.ist for the present, be left to the 

 manufacturing capitalist, who can command money as 

 well as information, and afford to patronize the farmer 

 libf^rally by purchasing the products of his cultivation. 

 The lime may come, and we hope it will shortly arrive, 

 in which every farmer will be able to make his own 

 sugar from beets with so little trouble and expense tJiat 

 it will become as common as the making of apple sibce, 

 or the salting of beef or pork for winter's use. 



An Elegant Article. — A gentleman of Nantucket 

 has presented the Editor of the New England Farmer 

 with a Silken Handkerchief, manufactured in that 

 Island and printed with fine colors in Lynn This is a 

 beautiful specimen of American ingenuity ; and a proof 

 positive that we have only to set earnestly about fabri- 

 cating our own Silks to make ourselves independent of 

 foreigners to whom we have paid and are paying a 

 greater tribute for this kind of precious merchandize than 

 becomes a great, free, ingenious and industrious commu- 

 nity. We should be delighted to exhibit our fine pocket 

 ornament to any ladies or gentlemen who will do us the 

 honor to call and look at it. 



The Season. — The weatlier during tlie past 

 season for the most part has been absolutely sav- 

 age. AVe learn that in many places last Saturday 

 morning, frost covered vegetation as with a white 

 mantle, though no serious damage was one 

 thereto, English grain, we are told, is very good 

 — wheat in particular. But corn, alas and alack! 

 unless we have more " genial skies" and breezes 

 from '' the sweet sojlh west," will be nearly, if 

 not wholly cut off. Potatoes are said to be unu- 

 sually good and the crop abundant. — Brattlebor- 

 ough Vt. Phanix. 



