v:>L XV. so. as. 



AND GARDENER'S JOURNAL. 



181 



contraiy, j'ou have a hard and sullen soil, requir- 

 sng tnoie labor to cultivate it, producing perhaps 

 but half the quantity, hut selling for three or four 

 times M^ much as in the other case. Now mark 

 she di f'ereiice, the more abundant the crop, the 

 greater the labor required to gather and secure it; 

 by the same rule, the less abundant the crop, the 

 less t! ■ labor ; so that the principal difference, as 

 regari s labor, appears to be, that here, you have 

 towoik hnrder at the teg-inm")!"- of the process, 

 and tl' re at the end ; here, the crop is compara- 

 tively small, but bears a good price; there, it is 

 large, remote from market, and consequently of 

 less value. 



There is no room for murmuring or discontent 

 in either situation, aiul he who has the elements 

 of happiness within his own bosom, may find 

 abundant reasons for gratitude and contentment, 

 whether his lot be cast in the north or in the 

 south, in the east or in the west. What a glori- 

 ous country do we inhabit — of what vast extent 

 — what variety of climate — how rich and va- 

 rious in its resources — we are a world within 

 ourselves, combining all climates, all soils, all jiro- 

 ductions ; — the coffee and sugar of the West In- 

 dies, the tropical fruits and silks of Europe, the 

 rice of Asia, the cotton of Egypt — together with 

 the arts, the manufactures, the enterprise, the 

 skill, the ingenuity of nsan, in his highest state of 

 civilization. The treasures of the sea and the 

 hidden minerals of the earth are also ours. 



The different sections and remote regions, by 

 modern improvements in the art of locomotion, 

 are brought into the neighborhood of each other ; 

 tlie products of one division are exchanged for 

 those of another ; the imports and manufactures 

 of the east, for the growth of the west, the riches 

 and skill of the north, for the precious products of 

 the south. Thus the parts are bound together by 

 a golden chain of mutual benefits into a beautiful 

 whole, and the l^nks that connect us are becoming 

 more strongly cemented every day. 



Let us then cultivate the spirit of content^let 

 us respect the constitutional rights and privileges 

 of every section, and rally round that banner, wa- 

 ving in graceful folds from the summit of the cap- 

 itnl, bearing^ on its ample ground a constellation, 

 the emblem of light, of union, and of that civil and 

 religious liberty, man's rightful inheritance, which 

 can only be duly appreciated by a virtuous and 

 intelligent people. 



Every discovery of mineral treasure, disclosed 

 by the labors of the geologist, every new applica- 

 tion of science to art, every new channel of com- 

 munication, is immediately made known through 

 the press, becomes common property, and tends 

 to equalize advantages. 



(Conoluded next week,) 



BEET SUGAR MEETING. 



A Beet Sugar meeting was held at the Town 

 Hall on Friday, 25th ult. Mr Isnard, the French 

 Vice Consul, residing at Boston, was present. He 

 made a variety of interesting statements to the 

 meeting, from which we gather the following 

 facts. It is about twentyfive years sincn sugar 

 was first made from the beet root in France. Mr 

 Isnard was the first who successfully trieil the ex- 

 periment, and who exhibited some specimens of 

 sugar, accompanied by a statement of facts and 

 calculations, relative to its manufacture, to the 

 Emperor Napoleon. The emperor, in consequence, 

 encouraged this branch of industry. At this time 



the beet was made to yield but 2 per cent, of su- 

 gar — that is 2 lbs. from 100 lbs- of beets. There 

 are now manufactured, in that country, 70,000,- 

 000 of lbs. annually. At present, it costs the man- 

 ufacturer from 4 to 5 cents per pound ; but it is 

 calculated that such improvements will be speed- 

 ily made in the whole process of manufacture, 

 that the expense will be reduced to 1 or 2 1-2 cts. 

 per pound. 



The land in tlie Connecticut valley is suitable 

 to the growth of the beet ; it is similar to that 

 which produces the largest crops in France — a 

 light, rich, yet deep soil. The product of an acre 

 in France, is from 30 to 35,000 pounds. It was 

 stated that 70,000 lbs. had been raised on an acre 

 in this country. !n France, from 3.20 to 3.50 per 

 too, are paid for beets. Mr Isnard thinks that 

 5.00 dollars per ton might be paid for them here, 

 and sugar made at profit. One hundred lbs. oi 

 beets will yield from 6 to 8 lbs. of sugar, from 1 

 to 2 lbs. of molasses), and from 20 to 25 lbs. of 

 pomace. The pomace is excellent for fattening 

 cattle, better even than the beet itself. The beet 

 is too watery. It contains 75 or 80 per cent, of 

 liquid, and 20 or 25 per cent, of solid, which lat- 

 ter remains as pomace. The pomace will keep 

 two or three years, by being put in cellars, or in 

 holes in the earth, and well covered up. In France 

 they generally consume in one season what was 

 made the season previous. The farmer carries 

 his beets to the maimfactory, and loads back with 

 pomace. 



Mr Isnard stated that a steam engine of ten 

 horse jiower, would rasp 3000 lbs. of beet per 

 hour. The liquid is expressed by a hydraulic 

 press, and evaporated by boilers directly aver the 

 fire, or heated by the waste steam from the engine 

 employed in raising. The latter method of evap- 

 orating is the best. Mr Isnard prefers steam to 

 water power, as the waste steam can be used in 

 evaporating, and the manufactory may be located 

 at any convenient place, and not confined to a wa- 

 ter privilege. 



Facts were exhibited at the meeting, from a 

 French ))amphlct, stating that the cultivation of 

 the beet improves the soil, and renders it more 

 fruitful in the production of other crops. Rota- 

 tion in crops is, therefore recommended. In com- 

 paring the relative value of a crop of beets and a 

 crop of wheat, it was stated that an acre will pro- 

 duce a sufficient quantity of beets, to manufac- 

 ture two ponnds of sitgctr, for every pound of 

 wheat that can be grown upon the same ground! 

 Some calculations may be made, based upon 

 the above statements, which will show the farmer 

 at once, whether the sugar beet will be a profita- 

 ble crop for him to raise. Upon this depends the 

 success of the enterprise of manufacturing sugar. 

 If broom corn, or any other crop will afford a 

 greater income than the beet, then the farmer, of 

 course will not cultivate the latter. But let us 

 make a kw calculations. 'I'ake the estimate of 

 the average product per a«Te, in France, viz: 15 

 to 18 tons. This, at 83.50 per ton, — which is 

 undoubti'dly a low estimnte for this country — 

 would give $25, 50 or $53 as the income of an 

 acre. But suppose the beets to be worth $5.00 

 per ton, it woidd be .$75 or $90. If the crop be 

 larger than stated in the estimate, of course the 

 income would be proportionately increased. We 

 think the crop would generally bo larger than the 

 average in France. Mr Apthorn of this town 



raised a few sugar beets in his garden, and they 

 yielded at the rate oi forty tons to the acre ! 



Take another view of the case. The pomace 

 is worth about 50 per cent, more the lb. than the 

 beets. A fatning ox will con-sutue 60 lbs. of pona- 

 ace per day. So says Mr Isnard. Allowing 60 

 lbs. of pomace to be equal to one peck of corn, 

 of course 240 would be worth as much as a bush- 

 el. Now suppose the farmer carries twenty tons 

 of beets, the pioduct of an acre, to the manufac- 

 tory; receives in return, 4 tons of pomace, the 

 quantity remaining of 20 tons of beets, which is 

 equal to 33 1-3 bushels of corn, for which he al- 

 lows $24 — being 50 per cent, more than he re- 

 (•eives for the beets at $4.00 per ton — and the 

 balance, $56, in cash. This gives 56 dollars in 

 ready cash, and an equivalent 33 1-3 bushels of 

 corn, as the income of an acre. The relative ex- 

 pense of cultivating the several cro|is is not here 

 considered. Enough may be seen, however, to 

 show that the cultivation of the beet will be a 

 profitable cro|). The expense of cultivation is not 

 yet certainly known ; but some are of opinion that 

 it can be cultivated at as cheap a rate as the broom 

 corn. Mr Apthorp of this town, has contracted 

 cultivate it at the rate of $38 per acre. If this be 

 a fair compensation, it will be seen that it leaves 

 an enormous rent for the land. 



Before the meeting adjourned, a committee was 

 appointed, consisting of the following individuals, 

 viz: — Messrs Edward Church, Samuel Whit- 

 marsh, Wni. Clark, Jr., Thomas Shepherd, S. L. 

 Hinckley, John Rogers, and Samuel Wells, Jr., to 

 report whiit measures should be taken toward the 

 formation of a Beet Sugar Company. They re- 

 commended, as a preliminary step, that the servi- 

 ces of Mr Isnard he secured to superintend the 

 operations of the contemplated company, which 

 accordingly was done. l>!r Isnard is to proceed 

 immediately to France, to acquaint himself with 

 late improvements made in the chyrstalization of 

 sugar. He is now i)erfectly familiar with the 

 general details of manufacturing sugar, but there , 

 have been some improvements made in chrystali- 

 zation, since he left the business. He, however, 

 was intending to go to France to visit his friends, 

 but will be in the employ of the committee during 

 the winter. The committee above are to take the 

 necessary steps towards forming a company, pro- 

 curing an act of incorporation, &c. The opera- 

 tions of the company will probably be located in 

 the centre of Northampton. 



Everything thus far ha^ gone on most auspic- 

 iously ; and we have every reason to believe that 

 the project will go forward without delay. The 

 seeming of Mr Isnard is one of the most favora- 

 ble circumstances that could be imagined. In the 

 first place, he is perfectly acquainted with the 

 whole business pertaining to the njanufactute of 

 sugar, having been many years engaged in it. 

 He was the first, as before stated, who extracted 

 sugar from the beet root in France ; and some of 

 the first chrystalized he presented Napoleon. In 

 the next place, he is a man of science, having a 

 full knowledge of chemistry, which is very impor- 

 tant in the business. Furthermore, the public 

 feel confidence in him, from his experience in the 

 business, and they will have less hesitancy to in- 

 vest their money in the stock of the company, 

 than they would if its operations were to be in the 

 hands of those who are only theoretically acquain- 

 ted with the business. Mr Isnard intends to bring 

 with him from France two or three men acquain- 



