3C6 On the Chemislry of Silesian Svgar-Bcets. 
in sugar, than the 5 white roots which in all probability arrived 
earlier at maturity, and on that account may be more suitable 
for our English climate than the red skinned and purple topped 
Silesian sugar-beet. 
The analyses of the 43 beet-roots, all grown in the neigh- 
bourhood of Lavenham, Suffolk, are well calculated to illustrate 
the great variations which, may and do, occur in the sugar- 
producing qualities of beets, although grown in the same season 
and the same locality. At the same time the analyses of most of 
the Lavenham sugar-beets clearly show that the Silesian beets 
grown in 3868 in that neighbourhood, though not equal in 
sugar-yielding quality to the sugar-beets raised in the celebrated 
beet-root districts near Magdeburg and other parts of Northern 
Germany, compare favourably with French, Belgian, and Dutch 
beets, which on an average seldom contain more than from %^ to 
9 per cent, of crystallizable sugar. 
Last season (18G8) Mr. Duncan procured some Silesian sugar- 
beets from Holland, and forwarded them to me for examination.. 
The two varieties of the Dutch roots on analysis yielded the 
following results : — 
Table VII. — Composition of Silesian Beet-roots yrown in Holland. 
Weight of root 
Specific gravity of juice .. 
At a temperature of 
j Purple-skinned 
\ root. 
2 lbs. 103 ozs. 
1-0655 
60° F. 
Piuk-eoloured 
root. 
.. 1 lb. 13i ozs. 
1-0542 
G0°r. 
*Albuminous compounds .. 
Crude fibre (pulp) .. 
Crystallizable sugar 
Mineral matter (.isL) 
82-79 
1-12 
4-07 
10-56 
-45 
1-01 
85-67 
1-91 
3-40 
7-42 
•33 
1-27 
100-00 
100-00 
♦Containing nitrogen . . 
•18 
•3UC 
The first variety of the Dutch beet-root, it will be noticed, is 
much superior to the second, but not quite equal in sugar- 
yielding qualities to the beet-roots grown in the same season in 
the neighbourhood of Lavenham in Suffolk. 
In the next place I beg to direct attention to two varieties of 
Silesian sugar-beets which were raised in 1868 at Lodge Farm, 
Barking Creek, entirely upon sewage. The red-skinned beet 
weighed 2 lbs. 2^ oz., and the white 4 lbs. 1 oz. The former 
was very firm and of a delicate texture, the latter rather spongy 
and decayed in the centre. 
