pboceedings op the farmers' club. 217 



Beet Sugar. 



Mr.Ludovic Lcchaut, a native of France, now resident of Monsey, Rock- 

 land county, N. Y., says: 



"The beet sugar manufacture of France commenced in 1805. After 

 many unsuccessful experiments, and a great waste of time and money, it 

 has proved a complete success, and it is to-day viewed in my native land 

 as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, blessings of the French agri- 

 culture, not only for sugar making, but also as a root crop for fattening 

 purposes. Flanders, Artois, Picardy and the environs of Paris have become 

 rich on the beta vulgaris and beta saccharifera, and the soil has increased 

 considerably, both in value and fertility, since the regular introduction of 

 the beet in the rotative cultures of thq northern farmers in Franco. But it 

 has been ascertained, scientiBcally and practically, (and this is the incent- 

 ive of the preseiit letter,) that, as far as sugar making is concerned, beets 

 cannot be grown profitably beyond a certain climatcric limit. It seems 

 that an All-wise Providence has ruled that those two great crystallized 

 sugar-producing plants, cane and beets, should not interfere with one 

 another; but, on the contrary, would be confined within certain limits. In 

 France, south of the great and beautiful river Loire, it is too warm for the 

 beet to keep sweet and capable of yielding sugar, an important portion of 

 this last substance being transformed into potash before the root attains 

 its complete maturity. I am not acquainted sufficiently with the climate 

 of the United States to venture an opinion about the extreme southern limit 

 of the sugar beet (as a sugar-giving plant) in North America, not knowing 

 even the localities of isothermal lines corresponding with those of Europe; 

 but what I want to say is that there is a limit in France where the beet 

 cannot be grown for sugar with the least chance of profit. That limit be- 

 gins a little north of what we call the olive-tree region. Is it not reasona- 

 ble to suppose that such a limit does exist here, and that farmers should 

 be very careful not to engage in large experiments in that way before as- 

 certaining accurately if they are on the safe side? Very probably the want 

 of knowledge of this important fact will lead to many splendid failures, and 

 will eventuall}' invf)lve nice losses of money, beside the ordinary croakings 

 about the humbug of beet yielding large quantities of beautiful sugar. It 

 was this idea that emboldened me to write to you." 



How TO Head the Chinch Bugs. 



Mr. D. K. Emerson, Stoughton, Dane Co., Wis., says that Mr. H. J. Everest, 

 of this place, has discovered how to head the chinch bugs. Several persons 

 tried his plan the last season, and are satisfied with the result. Every- 

 thing that will tend to stop the ravages of these great pests of the Western 

 farmer should be made known. ITc therefore gives the following formula: 

 " Wlien the bugs are seen marching (for few fly at that time) take common 

 fence boards, six inches or less wide, and run them around the piece, set 

 edgewise, and so that the bugs cannot get under them or between the 

 joints, and then spread either pine or coal tar on the upper edge, and they 

 will not cross it. The tar needs renewing till the edge gets saturated, so 

 that it will keep wet and not dry in any more, and either kind of tar is ef- 

 fectual. Then dig holes close to the boards, about like a post hole, once in 



