Manufacture of Sugar from Beet-Root, 149 



can be placed on results which are affected by climate, soil, 

 and even difference in seasons. In the principal sugar-making 

 districts, however, it is found that by manuring the land either 

 two or three years previous to the beet crop, the greatest number 

 of conditions required by the manufacturer are obtained. This 

 practice is supported by the evidence of Schatten, who found that 

 the expressed juice contained more colouring matter and soluble 

 salts when it came from roots grown on freshly manured soil.* 



There are papers on the cultivation of beet and on the results 

 of manuring, &c., by Mr. Miles in the 2nd, by Lord Lovelace 

 in the 4th, by Mr. Pusey in the 6th, and by Mr. Raynbird in the 

 8th vols, of the Royal Agricultural Society's Journal, which, 

 although bearing but slightly on the present object, may be 

 referred to with advantage. 



Section IL 



" Whether mangold'Wurzel is applicahle to the manufacture of sugar T 



The field-beet, or mangold- wurzel, is that A^ariety which pre- 

 sents, on being cut open, alternate layers or zones of a white and 

 red colour more or less distinct, and is grown in Germany and 

 France extensively for the purpose of sugar making. It gives a 

 heavier return per acre than the white or Silesian beet, but this 

 latter contains a higher percentage of sugar and a lower percentage 

 of water and of saline matters, a combination of properties which 

 renders it more valuable to the manufacturer. It also is less liable to 

 mechanical injuries, and is less likely to be affected by frost or wet. 

 It is, however, more particular as to climate, and consequently does 

 not succeed so well in general cultivation as the mangold-wurzel, 

 which appears to be grown successfully for the purposes of sugar 

 extraction at all places between 45° and 56° N. lat. 



Before commencing an account of the operations connected 



last year was 38 tons 16 cwts. to the acre of the former, aud 39 tons 13 cwts. to the 

 acre of the latter. Mr. Reeve attributed his success in growing the white sugar 

 beet to his not applying manure directly to the crop, and stated that when he had 

 dunged for the beet, the bulbs proved small, and had a large mass of " fuzzy" 

 fibres, and gave but a small weight per acre, viz. from 15 to 18 tons, but that 

 since he had put his manuring matter further ofit the beet crop, he had raised 

 fine large roots of a great weight per acre. 



* The juice was treated with lime and acet. of lead, both before and after filtra- 

 tion, and gave the following results: — 







Before. 



Afteh. j 







Lime . . , , , 



Acet. Lead . . . 



•169 

 1-120 



•916 



1 Fresh Manure. 





Acet. Lead , . .| 



•179 

 •147 

 ; -514 

 •686 



i 



•426 

 •502 



jsrd Year. 



