296 FEEDING WITH SUGAR BEETS, SUGAR, ETC. 



Molasses for The utilization of molasses for alcohol manufacture is neces- 

 alcohol manu- sarily dependent generally upon the market prices of this pro- 

 facture. duct, and as there are considerable fluctuations, the industry 

 itself has many elements to contend with. As an example, 

 during many years in France, special advantages were given to 

 molasses distillers, but in 1902 this legislation was changed 

 and the residuum can now no longer be profitably used for that 

 purpose. This would seem to be a great injustice to individuals 

 who have placed their money in an investment which was sup- 

 posed to have been backed up by government security. The 

 alcohol-molasses industry in France for the time being has 

 become a question of the past. 



In this respect, however, it is interesting to note that it is 

 within the power of capitalists to overcome this difficulty by 

 adding appliances for working up sugar beets to their existing 

 distilleries; but when one considers that the residuum of molas- 

 ses represents only three and a half per cent, of the raw material 

 sliced, it becomes evident that an establishment of this kind 

 would mean an enormous money outlay. 



Many of the existing distilleries can handle the molasses re- 

 siduum from a plant working 1000 tons of sugar beets per diem. 

 A distillery that could work up the mash from such a bulk of 

 fermented beets would handle several hundred tons of roots in the 

 24 hours, and the cost of the diffusers and the other necessary 

 appliances would certainly not amount to less than $100,000. 



For many years the molasses-distillers' waste has been utilized 



for the manufacture of potash, soda and potassic chlorid. It 



has also been used for feeding purposes, and as a fertilizer. 



Molasses permits ^he use * molasses permits the utilization of certain feeds 



the utilization that have undergone more or less transformation during their 



of slightly mil- keeping. For example, hay that was slightly tainted was eaten 



dewed or tainted w j^ n avidity when combined with 2.2 Ibs. molasses diluted in 



e s> 3.6 Ibs. warm water and oat straw, which stood for 24 hours in 



order to undergo a partial fermentation. With this feed there 



was an increase of w r eight. The explanation is that the molasses 



is possessed of certain disinfecting properties. 



Molasses as a Considered only from a theoretical standpoint, molasses is a 

 fertilizer, most excellent means for returning to the soil the plant foods 



