Sugar-Beets and Beetroot Distillation. 
G3 
many roots grown in various parts of Great Britain, and have 
thus had the opportunity of forming a sound opinion of the 
quality of sugar-beets raised in 1809 and 1870. 
A record of the results of these analyses, accompanied by a 
few remarks likely to be interesting to sugar-beet growers, it is 
hoped may prove useful at the present time, when the subject 
of beetroot-sugar manufacture and beetroot distilling is attracting 
so much public attention. 
Comjmition of Sugar-hccts groion in England in 1869. — The 
following analyses express the composition of sugar-beets which 
were grown in Berkshire on a naturally stiff but well cultivated 
clay soil : — 
Composition of Berkshire Beetroots. 
Average of 2 Roots. 
No. 1. 
No. 2. 
No. 3. 
No. 4. 
*Albuminous compounds . . 
Crystallizable sugar 
Pectin, colouring matter, &c. 
Mineral matter (ash) 
81-28 
1-24 
4-01 
11-87 
-63 
■97 
81-71 
•98 
4-02 
12-02 
-45 
-82 
84-40 
-91 
3-04 
9-14 
•54 
•97 
85-91 
•87 
3-73 
7-98 
•41 
I'lO 
100-00 
100-00 
100-00 
100-00 
Specific gravity of juice .. 
At a temperature of 
1-0698 
71° F. 
lb. 0Z3. 
1 5 
1 5 
1-0709 
71° F. 
lb. 0Z3. 
1 12J 
1 n 
1-0559 
59° F. 
lbs. 
n 
1-0507 
59° F. 
lb. 
IS 
* Containing nitrogen , . . . 
1-99 
•157 
•145 
•139 
These 4 specimens were grown on the same farm, but on 
different fields. 
Nos. 1 and 2, it will be seen, are rich in sugar. No. 3 
contains a fair average proportion, and No. 4, although it 
weighed 1 lb. less than No. 3, contained 1 per cent, less sugar 
than No. 3, and 4 per cent, less than No, 2. 
I have not been able to learn under what particular circum- 
stances the several roots were grown. The differences in their 
quality, no doubt, were due either to variations in the soil, or to 
the kind and quantity of manure with which they were grown. 
The land upon which sugar-beets are intended to be grown 
should be thoroughly and deeply cultivated in order that the roots 
may readily penetrate into the soil, and not grow out of it, which 
they will do when they are grown on heavy and badly worked soils. 
Deep cultivation, so favourable to all root crops, is absolutelv 
indispensable for the production of beets rich in sugar ; for 
