a 
> 
Now. 3, 1870] 
z 
-” 
NATURE 
5 

would be the average yield of a 500 acre farm. Chapter 
VIII. gives the quantity of water required in such a fac- 
tory, amounting to no less than 113,190lb., or 1,882 cubic 
feet per hour; the expense of labour for one year at 
5,1907., the total annual expense being 13,980/., the 
total receipts being estimated at 20,4707, leaving a 
profit of 6,490/., assuming that 8 per cent. of sugar 
is extracted from the roots. It is however probable 
that this percentage might be raised to Io per cent., when 
the profit would be 10,0907. The first outlay for the esta- 
Dblishment of the factory is calculated at 10,8457 Mr. 
- College.” 
advantageously increased. 
Baruchson estimates the profit at 24? per cent. on the 
outlay when 63 per cent. of sugar is produced, each addi- 
tional 4 per cent. increasing the profit 73 per cent., so 
that if 8 per cent. could be obtained the profit would be 
no less than 48 per cent. The ninth chapter describes 
the concreting process of Mr. Fryer as applied to the raw 
juice, so as to enable the refinery to be carried on during 
the whole year instead of only during crop time. Chapter X. 
is devoted to the application of the spent beet-root pulp. 
As far as chemical analysis indicates it will prove, when 
mixed with other materials,a more useful food for cattle 
than ordinary mangolds or even than the original roots, 
though it must be admitted that no comparative experi- 
ments on feeding have yet been made. The remaining 
five chapters describe the manufacture of spirit from beet 
juice, which has been found very profitable on the Con- 
tinent ; the sucrate of lime process which dispenses with 
the employment of animal charcoal ; the manufacture of 
potash salts from the residues ; Excise regulations, and 
Dr. Schiebler’s calcimeter for the determination of the 
quantity of carbonate of lime in animal charcoal. 
We commend this valuable work to all interested in 
the subject ; and wish the author success in his endea- 
yours to introduce and encourage the extensive culti- 
vation of beet-root in this country, and thus place us 
on a level with our neighbours on the Continent who have 
so successfully carried it out. 


LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 
[The Editor does not hold himself respoysible for opinions expressed 
by his Correspondents. No notice ts taken of anonymous 
communications. | 
Dr. Balfour Stewart’s Opening Lecture at Owens 
College, Manchester 
Dr, BALFouR STEWART concludes his excellent Lecture lately 
delivered at Owens College, Manchester, and published in your 
number for Oct. 20th, with a broad classification of experimental 
and observational work into work requiring much time and 
work requiring comparatively little time for its execution. This 
appears to me a very useful suggestion. Dr. Stewart then goes 
on to say that the work requiring short periods of time ‘‘may 
be furthered with much advantage in institutions such as Owens 
And he adds that the same objects are at present 
aided by the Government grant of 1,000/. so carefully adminis- 
tered by the Koyal Society ; but he thinks this grant might be 
In all this I quite agree with him. 
Dr. Stewart then proceeds to deal with the other class of 
scientific work. And here I had better quotehisown words. He 
says :—‘* But when we come to experiments and observations re- 
requiring great time, the case is very different, Certain experi- 
ments, whether from the great time they require, or the great ex- 

pense they demand, cannot be well performed in a College ; 
while routine and long-continued observations, such as those 
connected with the yarious branches of cosmical physics, are of | 
such a nature as to require a central establishment to superintend 
their organisation and reduction. There is thus, I think, the 
necessity for a central establishment of some kind, devoted to 
that class of experiments and observations requiring great time, 
great space, and great expense for their completion.” 
In every word of this also I agree with Dr. Stewart. But I 
think a few words more are wanted to tell us by whom or how 
these irstitutions should be founded and supported. 1, who 
have had the advantage of very frequently discussing the 
question with my friend Dr. Stewart, infer, without any hesita- 
tion, that he considers this should devolve on the State, which, 
as I have often stated in public, is my own opinion. But I 
think it a pity that, ata time when the question is attracting in 
scientific circles so much attention, this should have been left to 
inference by one so well qualified to speak with authority, and 
op an occasion which afforded so excellent an opportunity of 
educating public opinion, on a subject which, outside scientific 
circles, is so little understood. 
ALEX. STRANGE, Lt.-Col, 

The Aurora Borealis 
A PRETTY bright display of the aurora, which was witnessed 
here last evening, exhibited such peculiar phenomena, that 
although I am told that they are common accompaniments of the 
aurora here, a description of them may yet be new to some of 
your'readers. The times given im the description are by estima- 
tion from the striking of town clocks ; the night being dark, and 
the light of the aurora not sufficient to enable me to consult a 
watch. 
At 8 25™ a straight double beam of faint white light ex- 
tended from Altair in the west, across y Andromedz overhead, 
nearly to the E.N.E. horizon. The northern branch of the arch 
was the brightest, about 3° broad, and it was accompanied at a 
distance of 10° or 12° on the southern side by a parallel and 
fainter arch. I was prevented from watching the duration of 
this appearance and the further progress of the aurora until a 
few minutes after ten o’clock. At that time a few columnar 
streamers of white were vis‘ble in the west, one of which, very 
bright, extended from a Sagitte to € Cygni, and was accom- 
panied by fainter streamers from f to between vy and e Cygni, 
and from Altair to 6 Cygni. I noted their direction, and that 
of a few other streamers later, in opposite parts of the sky, in 
order to determine the position of their centre of convergence. 
But this was at the same time clearly shown by a patch of nebu- 
lous white light, 10° or 15° wide, from the centre of which, at 6 
Andromedz, and to some distance beyond its borders, faint rays 
spread outwards, and mixed themselves with faint streamers 
which rose in close array, from the north and east, towards them. 
While watching this small light-cloud, its light and that of the 
surrounding streamers became rapidly and brightly intermittent. 
It soon faded, and on reaching an eminence where I could com- 
mand the whole northern sky from east to west, I found that all 
the features of the aurora were undergoing very rapid changes. 
Two of the many broad and bright streamers which rose 
in that direction at about ro* 25™ were directed from B 
Urse minoris to y Cephei, and from @ Aurigz to Algol, 
having their bases at the former stars, and connected, ap- 
parently, by no regular fringe or arch below, but appear- 
ing at different heights between the zenith and the horizon, 
and occupying chiefly the north-west to north-east quarter 
of the sky. The full extent of the intermittent phase, of which 
I had before obtained only a confined and obstructed view, was 
now also visible. Waves of light coursed each other over the 
whole extent of the streamers in no yery regular direction or 
succession, but so as to give the general impression that conflict- 
ing currents of air, chiefly from the north, blew out and carried 
along with them the light of the streamers towards their highest 
points, or from one streamer to another. Hardly more than a 
second was occupied by the waves in spreading from the horizon 
to the zenith; and in their number, appearing simultaneously, 
they appeared to vary from a quick succession of ripples to a 
single wave. This agitation of the streamers subsided at about 
10" 30", The centre of convergence of the streamers between B 
and yy Andromedz was variously marked at about this time by a 
faint corona, without enclosed light, or by a nebulous light- 
cloud composed of irregularly radiating beams. It was traversed, 
apparently, by the waves from the north, east, and west, as 
rapidly as other portions of the sky ; and but little indications 
of the aurora were visible to the southward from this point. Fer 
