392 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



It is obvious, therefore, that the juice, extracted from the beet for the 

 manufacture of sugar, is not simply a solution of sugar in water, but a so- 

 lution of soluble constituents of the beet, both organic and inorganic. Two 

 classes of constituents in the jnicc are great obstacles to the production of 

 crystalizable sugar, and these are the nitrogenous and saline matters. The 

 former are a source of much injury on account of their changeable nature, 

 producing decomposition in the substances of the juice itself, inducing 

 acidity, which speedily converts cane into grape sugar. It is absolutely 

 necessary to remove tiiem before concentrating the juice. Clarification or 

 defecation effects this. Tlie mode practiced is to precipitate them chemi- 

 cally and separate them by mechanical decantation. Caustic lime, in the 

 form of "milk of lime" is best adapted for precipitating these foreign mat- 

 ters, but barytes has been used to a considerable extent. The clarification 

 is carried on in a copper pan, heated by a steam jacket rapidly, to the boil- 

 ing point. The quantity of lime required varies with the nature of the 

 juice, and is determined by preliminary experiment. It is also necessary 

 to test, frequently, as the deterioration of the juice requires an increased 

 quantity of lime. Mr. Ludwig Hacker, in a communication to the Westliche 

 Post, of St. Louis, dated April 24th, 1863, states that the best samples of 

 crystalized beet sugar have been made in Saxony, a province of Prussia; 

 and compares the climate of Hungary with the western States, and thinks 

 they are similar; but notes that the frosts, insects, droughts, etc., are seri- 

 ous drawbacks to producing good beets in these States. He thinks small 

 capital should be at first invested in experiments on the adaptability of soil 

 and other conditions requisite for raising the beets, and also in factories 

 located where water is convenient and transportation of the beets can be 

 carried on without too much expense, and fuel, and labor accessible. He 

 thinks that the great failures in Europe have arisen mainly from too expen- 

 sive preparations of factories, machinery and apparatus adapted to make 

 100,000 cwt. of sugar, when there were really not beets enough practically 

 accessible, to warrant the expenditure, and pay the great expense attend- 

 ing such outlays. In these cases the engineers have been blamed, new di- 

 rectors appointed, who have spent more money in altering apparatus, which, 

 however, had little to do with the primary difficulty — that of the supply of 

 a good quality of beets. 



The company in Illinois have calculated that after paying for the beets, 

 bone, coal, lime and other materials, including press cloth, labor, transpor- 

 tation, tax, interest of capital, the cost of the sugar will be, for a quality 

 equal to the brown Havana cane sugar, 4 cts. per pound. 



In Hungarj', with large capital, it costs for 112 lbs. of worked up beets, 

 80 cts.; this yields 8 lbs. of sugar and 4 lbs. of molasses. The remainder 

 is worth about one-fifth of the first cost after deducting the juice, for feed 

 for animals. The molasses and feed is worth 8 cents, leaving for 8 lbs. of 

 sugar 72 cents, equaling 9 cents per pound. 



Mr. Hacker thinks that the sugar could not cost more than this estimate 

 in the western States He adds that the yield per acre in Hungary aver- 

 ages 200 cwt. at a cost of $9 to $12; varying with the soil, rain, and extent 

 of culture. In regard to rain, we have more here than there, but summer 

 heat here exceeds that of Hungary. He thinks that from good seed we 



