106 FEEDING WITH SUGAR BEETS, SUGAR, ETC. 



burst open and the liquid they contain is liberated. After their 

 passage through suitable presses the water percentage has been 

 considerably reduced, and some authorities maintain that this 

 reduction reaches 40 per cent. 



The leaves, having thus undergone this preliminary water- 

 elimination, are dried in special furnaces of the Buttner and 

 Meyer type, which will be described later on. The leaves are 

 then perfectly dry, with the exception, however, of a few small 

 particles that are rather too large to have undergone a perfect 

 desiccation during such a limited period. 



In order to prevent these slices or pieces from being the 

 source of a future infection and possible complications when 

 considered from a fermenting standpoint (we refer to micro- 

 organisms that may possibly be generated and which would 

 necessarily result in the putrefaction of the material under con- 

 sideration), the particles being treated pass through a metallic 

 gauze acting as a filtering medium, and are subsequently run 

 through a special dryer. 



On a particular farm visited by the writer, where the Buttner 

 and Meyer method has been practically introduced, it has been 

 possible to gather per hectare 3,500 kilograms of dried leaves 

 [about 3,000 Ibs. per acre], which, according to Maercker, have 

 a commercial value of 9 marks per 100 kilogs. [say $1 per 100 

 Ibs. or $22 a ton], which means 315 marks to the hectare [$31.50 

 per acre]. The same leaves when green are worth only 60 

 marks [$6 per acre] . The desiccation costs 2 marks per 100 

 kilogs. [24 cents per 100 Ibs.], which in other words means 70 

 marks for the total dried leaves obtained from a hectare [$7 per 

 acre]. The carting may be put down at 40 to 50 marks per 

 hectare [$4 to $5 per acre] . There remains consequently a net 

 profit of 315-180, or 135 marks per hectare [or about $13.50 per 

 acre]. The installation of a plant for this special drying, etc., 

 is not to be altogether recommended, owing to the cost of the 

 transportation from the beet fields. According to Runkhe, the 

 installation necessary for 125 hectares [300 acres] may be esti- 

 mated at 20,000 marks [$5,000]. 



Vibrans declares that there is a decided objection to this 

 method, owing to the fact that the preliminary pressing of the 



