expensive. Any fruit or root must permit of preserva- 

 tion during three or four months at least if to be 

 used for sugar manufacture. The watermelon crop 

 cannot be kept during that time. The work of a 

 sugar factory during the summer months would not 

 be as profitable as during the winter, in consequence of 

 the fermentation to be contended with ; whilst the beet 

 may be preserved during four to five months of the 

 winter in an excellent condition. Cantaloupes should 

 be worked two days after harvesting (as admitted 

 by advocates), otherwise they become too ripe, 

 and the sugar disappears. This, even if the problem 

 were practicable, would condemn their usage. The 

 working (according to theory) of squashes, pump- 

 kins, and cantaloupes, differs essentially from that of 

 the melon-sugar manufacture, the rind being utilized, 

 as it contains a small percentage of sugar. As may be 

 imagined, the impurities the juice contains under 

 these circumstances would be considerable. The 

 same may be said of pumpkin utilization, from which 

 some argue that forty per cent, of sugar may be 

 extracted; but we would like some practical figures 

 demonstrating the truth of the assertion. It is true 

 that in the process of making sugar from melons 

 no water need be added ; but, on the other hand, the 

 melon juice is extremely diluted and does not ferment 

 in a few hours, whilst beet juice does. If, however, 

 the latter be mixed with water to the same degree as 

 the melon juice, we are convinced there will be no 

 difference in the fermenting qualities. 



The portion of the beet which grows above ground 

 is worthless for sugar manufacture, but the entire 

 melon is equally so if the temperature is not suffi- 

 ciently high. It is frequently asked why it is that red 

 garden beets are not used for sugar manufacture, as 

 they are far superior in taste to the well-known sugar 



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