104 FEEDING WITH SUGAR BEETS, SUGAR, ETC. 



ant to make allowance for this loss. It was argued that during 

 this acid treatment the alkalies, such as potassa and soda, be- 

 came potassic and sodic chlorids, and took the place of the or- 

 ganic acids. Far from reducing the nutritive value of the pro- 

 duct, they on the contrary rather increased the nourishing 

 properties of the leaves treated. The leaves thus prepared were 

 placed in special silos with false bottoms, from which the water 

 draining from the mass could be drawn off. It was proposed 

 to subsequently distil the liquor with the view to alcohol pro- 

 duction. The heating of the receptacle could be done upon an 

 open fire with steam coils, etc., but under all circumstances the 

 coils used should be copper so as to diminish the chances of 

 their being attacked by the acid. Later modifications of this 

 mode resulted in using wooden vats with steam coils. The 

 cooking of 'beet leaves became very popular in certain parts of 

 the North of France and Belgium; but at first no acid was used 

 nor were such leaves siloed. It was found later on, when intro- 

 ducing the Mehay mode upon an extended scale, that great ad- 

 vantages were derived from chopping the leaves up into small 

 pieces, which greatly facilitated the action of the acids used, 

 especially in cases where boiling was done away with. It was 

 noticed that a certain interval was always needed by the cold 

 water mode before the acid had completely penetrated the entire 

 texture of the leaves treated, and under no circumstances should 

 they be fed to cattle before assuming the same appearance as to 

 texture as leaves that had been boiled. However, by the cook- 

 ing mode two men can handle 3 tons of leaves per diem, which 

 after the treatment are reduced to 2.0 tons. At that time this 

 preparation cost, including fuel, interest on investment, etc., 

 about $1.20 per ton of leaves, and was worth, it was then de- 

 clared, at least $4 per ton. 



Beet fcaf drying, Miiller has published a calculation showing that, practically 

 and theoretically, there is a special advantage in drying beet 

 leaves with a view to their transformation, into dry fodder. 

 Under these circumstances it is possible to obtain a combination 

 of superior money value when considered on a basis of 100 Ibs. 

 of material fed. It is not found desirable to dry the leaves in 

 any special appliance. It is far better from an economical 



