82 
Beet-root Distillery. 
Analysis of long red English-grown mangold, by Professor 
Voelcker : — 
AVater .. 90-500 
Soluble albuminous compounds, i 0'887 
containing nitrogen 0"42 ) * ' 
Sugar, gum, and mucilage .. .. 5"173 
Soluble mineral matters 1-083 
Insoluble albuminous compounds, i o-lBl 
containing nitrogen 0'029 j 
Cellular fibre and pectinous sub-'> 2 "093 
stances (crude fibre) / 
Insoluble mineral matters .. .. 0'083 
100-000 
A glance cast upon the foregoing analyses will at once satisfy 
the reader that a very material difference exists between English 
and French-grown roots. The proportion of water in the former 
is considerably more, and that of sugar considerably less. It is 
not, then, unreasonable to come to the conclusion that, although 
much heavier crops are grown in England, yet that the smaller 
proportion of alcohol-producing substance existing in English- 
grown roots makes it very problematical whether mangolds could 
be distilled with advantage in England. 
The object of my paper being chiefly to treat of beet-root dis- 
tillery as it exists in France, it would be quite foreign to my 
purpose now to examine that important question. I believe the 
only attempt made in this country by a practical farmer, Mr. 
Dray, has ended in a failure, and is now abandoned, from what 
causes I have not thought it discreet to inquire. I merely mention 
the fact, without presuming to draw any conclusion for or against 
beet-root distillery in England. 
In France it would appear, on the contrary, that the system is 
highly flourishing, and evidently tends to spread in every district. 
I give in the appendix a statement of the distilleries existing in 
France and several other countries. The French distilleries are 
not confined to the beet-root districts, but are steadily extend- 
ing into departments where the name of mangolds has hitherto 
been scarcely known. Thus it would appear that the establish- 
ment of these distilleries is an energetic incentive to the cul- 
tivation of mangolds, and therefore a happy means of agricultural 
progress. 
In speaking of distilleries I have only referred to the system 
patented by M. Champonnois, as it is most generally adopted, and 
is in my opinion the most simple, the most economical, and the 
most efficient. There are, however, two other systems, which I will 
only mention by name, that of M. Leplay and that of M. Pluchart; 
tliG former consists in distilling the root itself, the latter differs 
from it in very few points ; both are too complicated to be accepted 
