8 



own soil, and the industry of her citizens ! and this too at 

 a price to the manufiicturer who understands his business, 

 not exceeding four io five cents per lb. a cost (moderate as 

 it is) constantly diminishing by an improving process, and 

 better machinery. But *an abundant supply, at a cheap 

 rate, of a very essential article of consumption, important 

 as it surely must be considered, is not the only advantage 

 to which we are to look in the culture of the sugar Beet ; 

 every man who has the least knowledge of agriculture is 

 aware how important to the improvement of land is the 

 introduction of a culture destructive to weeds; artificial 

 meadows will not alone answer the desired object, weeded 

 crops must form a part of a sound system, and it is to these 

 that Flanders and some other countries owe their agricul- 

 tural riches, but generall}^ speakingthe expense and atten- 

 tion required has proved an insuperable obstacle. The 

 establishment of manufactories of Beet Root Sugar would 

 unquestionably be the most effectual means of introducing 

 this, with the best rotation of crops, and producing one of 

 those rare and happy revolutions in the prosperity of a na- 

 tion, which if not thoroughly understood by contempora- 

 ries will nevertheless be noted by posterity as an epoch in 

 its agricultural and commercial wealth. It must not be 

 supposed that the benefits anticipated will be limited to the 

 extent of territory necessary for the supply of the raw ma- 

 terial for these manufactories ; or when once the benefits 

 of the root crops are clearly demonstrated, as they unques- 

 tionably must be, by the wants of the sugar manufacturer, 

 farmers will see that not only Beets, hut potatoes, carrots^ 

 and many other varieties cultivated as food for cattle of- 

 fer an easy and profitable means of varying their ro- 

 tations and supplying at the same time the largest possi- 

 ble amount of nutriment for their stock and as a conse- 

 quence, the best -way of producing manure in abund- 



