740 



Dried Sugar Beet for Fodder. [march, 



it suitable only for ruminating animals. The extraction of the 

 bulk of the water from the root, whilst leaving the nutritive 

 properties unimpaired, yields a product which is easy of trans- 

 port and capable of indefinite preservation. In addition, it has 

 the great advantage of forming an excellent food for horses. 

 The treatment of beet in this manner forms the subject of a 

 note* by Professors Muntz and Girard, of the French Institut 

 Agronomique, and they state that it is now practised industrially 

 in France and Germany. 



Several of the methods employed for the desiccation of 

 residues are equally applicable to the drying of beet, though the 

 latter should not be exposed to over high temperatures, as it is 

 likely to diminish the digestibility and possibly to modify the 

 appearance and taste of the product. The beet, after being cut 

 up, should be dried till it contains only 12 or 13 per cent, of 

 water ; it is then crisp, and breaks easily between the teeth, and 

 animals eat it readily. It is important that the evaporation 

 should be pushed far enough, both for the preservation of the 

 product and in order to make it appetising. When 16 to 

 18 per cent, of water is left the cakes or pieces are soft and 

 elastic and stick together, and horses eat it less willingly. In 

 the case of cattle it is not of so much consequence, as it can be 

 given to them after being wetted with warm water. It will 

 keep for long periods without going mouldy. 



About 435 lb. of roots are required to produce 100 lb. of dry 

 beet containing 13 per cent, of water, and assuming the raw 

 beet to contain 1 5 per cent, of sugar, the dried article would 

 contain about 63 lb. of sugar per 100 lb. The analyses of two 

 samples were as follows : — 





I. 



II. 





Per cent. 



Per cent. 



Water 



I4-5 0 



IO'OO 



Albuminoids ... 



6'i9 



6*07 



Saccharose 



54 "20 



... 58-06 



Glucose 



270 



2 -42 



Cellulose 



4'20 



4-14 



Mineral matter 



4-80 



4-64 



Other 



"3 *4i 



... 14-67 





IOO'OO 



100/00 



Assuming sugar beet to be worth about 20s. per ton, the raw 



Annates de J* Institut National A^roiiomt\ue % 1904, Vol. III., Part II. 



