100 



T H E N E W GENESEE FARMER, 



Vol. 1 



Child, ou Beet 8iigar. 

 We gave n brief notice of this work lost month, and 

 we now present our renders with some extracts from 

 'ts pages. It is impossible for us however, without 

 far transcending our limits, to give futl directions for 

 the manufacture of beet sugar ; those who wish to en- 

 gage in it, are strongly recommended to purchase the 

 work before us. The following contains a statement 

 of some of our author's own experiments at North- 

 ampton. The e3.nbliehment erected there was on the 

 principle of the lUssicution of the beet, a principle first 

 successfully applied by J. Schuzenbach, a chemist re- 

 siding in the Grand Duchy of Baden. 



The experiment at Northampton is an attempt to 

 carry out tbe principle o{ dessication by machinery, 

 contrived by ua for the purpose, Mr. Scbuzeiibach hav- 

 ing declmed to impart any inlbrmation unluss the privi- 

 lege of using his invention in the whole United States, 

 wore previously purchased and security given for the 

 payment, in case the truth of bis pretensions should be 

 demonstrated by the results of a model factory. There- 

 fore, in stating the results, wliich we hove obtained, 

 wo do not implicate the system of Mr. Schuzenbach, 

 not knowing what bis apparatus or processes are, 

 but pursuing the same principle, by ways and means 

 of our own. We have dried the beet in a kiin of small 

 dimensions, by establishing therein a current of air, 

 heated from 150 ° to 1S5 = , and equalized by a dia- 

 phragm, pierced with holes. By this means we were 

 able to dry 800 lbs. in 24 hours. The material having 

 been cut into 'ritters ^ of an inch thick by a machine, is 

 placed above the diaphragm in bo.xes, having wire 

 gauze bottoms. 



For tbe purpose of pulverizing tbe dried beet, we 

 have used, first a small cylinder set with diamond head- 

 ed nails, and turning upon an inclined plane sheathed 

 with iron ; and, secondly, a coflee-mill upon the com- 

 mon principle. 



The powder, about as fine as ground coffee, is de- 

 posited in a tub, and cold water introduced in the pro- 

 portion of 3 lbs. to 1 lb. of powder. This gives a liquor 

 nearly twice as rich as the natural juice of tbe beet, 

 and just about na rich as that of the sugar-cane. This 

 liquor contains 1^ to li pounds sugar to the gallon, — 

 In 20 minutes the sugar is dissolved. The whole is 

 then thrown into sacks 8 lbs. to a sack, or so as to be 

 1^ inches thick when leveled in the sack. The sacks 

 must oe made of some very closely woven fabric. Of 

 various materials, which we have tried, twilled cotton 

 alone has answered the purpose perfectly. The sacks 

 are arranged alternately with osier hurdles, in the same 

 manner ns those lilled with green pulp in France — 

 One preasion with a hydrostatic press would be suffi- 

 cient to exhoust th« ptilp ; but having only a screw 

 press, worked by band, we have found it necessary to 

 press twice, moistening the pulp between the pressions. 

 At the second pression the liquor Etands at 7 ° to 9 ° 

 by the eaceharomeler, instead of 10 * to 12 ° as in the 

 first instance. 



The defecating pan contains 30 gallons, and is usual- 

 ly charged with 25 gallons. It is healed by steam. — 

 The delineation is operated as in the natural juice, ex- 

 cept that the proportion of lime is greater. The smal- 

 lest which we have found sufficient, is 300 grains to a 

 gallon of liquor. The subsequent operations are es- 

 sentially the same as in the French sugar-houses. For 

 the purpose, however, of economizing the animal black, 

 for making and revivifying wbich our apparatus is 

 small, we tilter but twice, viz., first the defecated juice, 

 and secondly the eyrup at 20 ° . Tbe concentrating 

 pan is heated by steam, circulating, asin the defecating 

 pan, through a series of pipes. 



We have cons'antly obtained from 7 to lOJ pounds 

 of saccharine to 100 pounds ol greeit beet, or to 14 lbs. 

 of dry. ThcbO products included the molasses, which 

 has varied from J to ^ of the whole. The unusual pro- 

 portion of molasses resulting in some instances, has 

 been owing to injury, which the beets received by frost 

 end decay before the drying, or by smoke and burning 

 during that process. Frost does not of itself injure the 

 sugar of the beet, but on the contrary facilitates its ex- 

 traction, and increases Its purity ; yet, as soon as tbe 

 root begins to thaw, the diisiruftion t>f itscrystalizable 

 sugar, sets in with frightful rapidity. The frozen beet 

 when sliced is of a pure and beautiful white, but witb 

 whatever care it be dried, it becomes in the course of 

 the operation perfectly black. This is the effect of 

 fermentation. Theelfeetofcarboniziition is still more 

 injurious. These evils were the result of inexperience, 

 and have been found completely susceptible of remedy. 

 So far as crystalization took place, (and in many in- 

 Dtances ti was abundant,) the sugar has proved of ex- 



cellent quality, freecvenin its raw state, from ony bad 

 taste, ond of a pure and sparkling white when refined. 

 Old and extensive dealers have pronounced it in both 

 states capable of successful competition with any sugars 

 in the market. The best result obtained from the 

 beets of Ib^iS, was 7 lbs. of sugar from 14 lbs. of dry 

 beet (representing 100 /As. of green,) and 3J lbs. of mo- 

 lasses. In this instance the beets had been dried with- 

 out mucb injury except a degree of discoloration. The 

 grain was strong and brilliant but the color deep. It 

 was deemed best to leave a c(uisidcrab!e portion of the 

 priivision of dried beetof lt^38 — Lt untouched, until on 

 enlargement of the apparatus should enable us to work 

 it up with more ease and economy. The quantity of 

 sugar which we have drained and cured, is 309 pounds. 

 There remains in crystulizers and moulds, not cured, 

 and some of it not sufficiently grained, 1000 lbs. more, 

 ond 2000 lbs. of molasses. 



Several points of importance were settled to our 

 satisfaction by the labors of 1838 — 9. 



1. That all the saccharine contained in the beet can 

 be extracted by the method of dessication. 



2. That the raw sugar can bo obtained without any 

 bad table, and fit for immediate consumption. 



3. That American beets, though generally inferior 

 to the European in saccharine richness, can by suitable 

 cidture be made inferior to none. 



4. That 50 jjer cent more of crystalizable sugar can 

 be obtained by the method of dessication, than has 

 generally been obtained by grating and pressing, or 

 macerating tbe green beet. 



5. I'hot tbe beet, once dried, may be kept an in- 

 definite lime without liability to injury. 



The general result of the first season was, however, 

 unsatisfactory. Tlie quantity of stiuar obtained, ex- 

 cept on particular days, when tbe operators were upon 

 select material, was too small ; the molasses super- 

 abundant, and very bad. 



The coming in of the crop of 1639, opened a new 

 era in our enterprise. An improvement in the drying 

 apparatus, by which the access of smoke, and better 

 acquaintance with the management of it, by which fer- 

 mentation on the one hand and carbonization on the 

 oilier, were prevented, gave us nearly unexceptionable 

 material ; the liquor was light colored and tranep'oreiu, 

 the projwrtion of lime required less, the defecations 

 more prompt and complete, ond the concentration al- 

 most without scums. Tbe sugar, graining in a few 

 hours, drained well, and is not inferior in flavor or ap- 

 pearance to the finest West India muscovados. The 

 quality of the molasses has been a inatter of utter sur- 

 prise to us. In France the molasses is considered of 

 no value except for feeding animals, or for distilling ; 

 and it sells at 4 or 5 cents a gallon. The molasses 

 from the sugar in question, is of- a bright amber color, 

 and so pure and pleasant, as to be preferred by many 

 to any but sugar-baker's. 



The quantity of saccharine obtained from the beets 

 of this year, has not been so great as from those of the 

 lost year. It has in no insionce exceeded 8J per cent, 

 (i of which was sugar and 2i molasses. W"e attribute 

 the difference to the extraordinary wetness of this sea- 

 son. 



It will be readily conceived that a small establish- 

 ment dependent upon farmers for material, paying (or 

 it twice the cost of its production, and executing by 

 hand several heavy and tedious operations, which 

 ought to be performed by steam, water or horse-power, 

 cannot furnish acenrole data for determining the ex- 

 pense of making beet sugar. Tbe actual cost, when 

 the material was good, has been 11 cc7t(s per pound, 

 the pulp and manure not taken into the account. We 

 ore of opinion that with proper ond sufficient mcons, 

 beet sugar mjy be manufactured in the United States, 

 at 4 cents per pound. When the manufoeturc shall 

 hove become domesticated among us, it will probably 

 be produced at a cost less than that. 



We hove recently made some experiments with tbe 

 aid of 3/r. Martial Duroy of Boston, upon beet dried 

 by steam. The result has been a white sugar ob- 

 tained at once, fully equal to the clayed sugars of Ila- 

 vonn. 



Other plonts usually grown in our soil are capable 

 of furnishing sugar, and some of them may be found 

 worth cultivating for that and accessory products. — 

 Wo have tried Indion cornstalks and the pumpkin, and 

 have obtained from them good sugar ond molasses. — 

 Perhaps those crops nioy allernote ailvantageously with 

 the beet. If the manufacture of sugar fruni the stolks 

 of Indian corn can be reconciled, as we believe it may, 

 with the maturity or near moturity of the cars, this 

 source of siecharine may supersede the beet-root. — 

 The seeds of the pumpkin yield a fine sweet oil, but 

 we have no means of judging, what quantity of this 

 product con be obtained from a given e.xtent of land. — 



If it should turn out sotisfactorily in this respect, the 

 pumpkin may one day overshadow thesugor-cone. 



It has recently been stated in an agricultural jour- 

 nal* that Schuzeiibaeh's system has been tried in 

 France and failed. We could not credit this announce- 

 ment, because we had tried the system, and were per- 

 fectly satisfied that it is capable of producing results far 

 superior to those of any other system, which has yet 

 been tested. The fillowing letter from the brother of 

 the inventor, gives timely and satisfactory information 

 on this subject. 



PhiUdcljjhia, Oct. S9, 1839. 

 D. Lee Child, Esq. 



Di;ar Sir, — [ received some days ago o letter from 

 my brother in Germany, who writes to me the follow- 

 ing regular results, such as they arc obtained on a 

 large scale in the beet-sugar manufactories in Polen, 

 South Germany, Ratisbon, Wayhoueel, Paris, Tou- 

 louse, &c. &c., and os I believe they will be inter- 

 esting to you, I address you the present for your infor- 

 mation. 



To produce 100 lbs. of beet sugar of the quality, 

 which is known in I'ronce by the name of bonne qua- 

 trlemCj (good brown) there is required : — 



1. 1,250 to 1,300 pounds of fresh beets, such as 

 they come from the fields. 



2. 350 to 360 pounds of stone coal. 

 8. 100 pounds of animal charcoal. 



4. 1§ day's works. 



5. Lime, acid, light, &c. &c., for 22J cents. 



To this must be added the interest, the use of the 

 buildings, utensils, &e. &c. 



By this method, the cost (prixderevient)of 100 lbs. 

 of this sugar is in Germany, owing to tbe high price 

 of tbe row material, fr. 9J or 10, or $3,50 to $4; and 

 in the north of France fr.'"l8,20c, or about $3,45, after 

 deducting the price of the molasses. 



My brother has made the following important im- 

 provements, which have completely succeeded on a 

 small scale for the lost five months. They are now 

 brought into operation in two of the most important 

 factories on a large scale, and will, as my brother 

 thinks, succeed there also. By this process a quality 

 is obtained, which will not be inferior to white Havana, 

 J more valued than bonne qvarterime, and the expen- 

 ses will be reduced to the following : — 



a. 1250 to 23 pounds of beets, as above. 



b. 250 to 300 pounds stone coal. 



c. l(i to 20 cents animal charcoal. 



d. One day's work, ( 12 hours including meal-time. ) 

 c. Small costs, same as above. 



And, what is of the greatest importance, the stock 

 capital, which is required for buildings, utensils, &c. 

 of the factory, will be J, perhaps 3 smaller, the manu- 

 facturing process more simple and of consequence, 

 more certain. 



I remain. Dear Sir, 

 Respectfully yours, 



JOS. SCHUZENBACH. 



It appears therefore that Schuzenbach's method is 

 already practised on a large scale in France, turns out 

 good brown sugar at a cost of less than 4 cents per 

 pound ; and promises to do still better than this, both 

 as it respects price and quality. Mr. Schuzenbach's 

 last results, os here described, ore strikingly like those 

 we obtained in working upon steam dried beet. 



* New England Farmer. 



From the Farmer^: Cabinet. 

 On Rust, or Black Blight iii Wheat. 



Sir — As the season is fast approaching when the 

 rust, or block blight on wheat will, in all probability, 

 make its appearance in many parts of the country, 1 

 would coll the attention of your reoders to an exomi- 

 nation of tbe cause of the malady, and thus enable 

 them to provide a remedy for tbe future in the shape of 

 prcrentton, wbich is in all cases, but more especially in 

 this, much more cosy than cvre. 



1 remember, on the fourtii day of last .Inly, seeing e 

 lorge field of wheat on the borders of the mill-race on 

 the Brandy wine, near Wilmington, Delaware, so com- 

 pletely covered with tbe rust as to be scarcely worth 

 tbe expense of harvesting, but wbich was, even in 

 that early period, in the midst of that operation — it 

 was, indeed, a caution to behold I I understand that 

 this wheal had been sowed on a lime and monured 

 fallow, o cause alone sufficitnl, in that situation, to 

 account for oil the evil. 



An excellent writer observes, "according to our un- 

 derstanding of the principles which regulate ond de- 

 termine the pre]iarotion ond application of the food of 

 plants, must be our notions of the diseases of plants, 

 and our ideas of the beet mode or course of cultivating 

 them. A wide Jdifl'erence undoubtedly exists in the 



