SUPPLEMENT. 39 



process is considered worth but 16.9 cents per 100 pounds ; 

 that obtained by hot maceration of dried beet roots is held at 

 from 24 to 25 cents per 100 pounds, while that obtained by a 

 maceration of the fresh beet roots after Roberts' improved 

 method, (free from an excess of lime), is valued at from 7.2 to 

 9.1 cents per 100 pounds. The last named residue contains but 

 from 6.5 to 6.9 per cent of dry substance, while common press- 

 cakes contain 25 per cent. Roberts' mode of operation leaves 

 about 70 pounds of cellular residuum for every 100 pounds of 

 beet, which contains, as stated previously, more nitrogenous 

 matter in proportion to dry substance, but less sugar than 

 common press-cakes. It is worth as fodder about one-quarter 

 as much, according to the estimate of Grouven. 



One and one-half tons of press cakes are assumed in practice 

 as the produce from one Prussian morgen,* or 4,700 pounds 

 per acre, so that allowing a value of 29 cents for every 100 

 pounds, the whole amount of press-cakes from one acre would 

 be worth $13.60. Moreover, as 100 pounds of common press- 

 cakes contain 25 per cent of dry substance, 4,700 pounds 

 contain 1,175 pounds ; and as the dry substance of any article 

 of vegetable food is known to furnish 1.75 times its weight in 

 common stable manure, 2,056 pounds of manure will result 

 from the feeding of the press-cakes of one acre. Reckoning 

 one ton of manure worth il.75, 2,056 pounds will be worth 

 about $1.80. The fodder value of press-cakes resulting from 

 the operation with the hydraulic press without subsequent 

 maceration is equal to the same weight of sugar-beet roots. 

 They are even preferred to the latter, since they become 

 more digestible and acquire, after being buried in pits in con- 

 sequence of slow fermentation, a slightly acidulated taste. 

 Cattle then eat them greedily and thrive upon them, particu- 

 larly in case they are fed in connection with a proper quantity 

 of oil-cake, bran, hay, or barley straw, &c., to replace the 

 potassa compounds and the phosphates which the juice has 

 carried off. 



The preservation of the press-cakes is easily accomplished. 

 They are packed closely into the empty beet-root pits or into 



* In this report all calculations concerning reductions of German surface measures and 

 of money value are based on the following proportions: one American acre is considered 

 equal to 1.53 Prussian morgen, and one Prus:>iau thaler equal to 0.73 dollars. 



