April 22, 1871.] 
THE PHARMACEUTICAL JOURNAL AND TRANSACTIONS. 
855 
.it be found in sugar. A better test is the specific gravity 
of the juice, which, when of good quality, usually varies 
dn sp. gr. from TO? to 1-06, or even 1-078. These roots 
•contain over 14 per cent, of crystallizable sugar. The 
juice of roots poor in sugar invariably falls below sp. gr. 
1-06. 
After treating of the character of the soils suitable or 
all-adapted for the growth of beets, the manure, the time 
of sowing, distance of planting and various other points 
connected with the cultivation, the author proceeded 
to discuss the composition of sugar-beets. He said that 
all the sugar present in fairly ripe roots is crystallizable, 
.and when perfectly pure, identical in composition with 
crystallized cane-sugar. Beetroots do not contain any 
glucose, or grape sugar, and the glucose contained in the 
molasses produced in beet-sugar manufacture is the re¬ 
sult of changes which cannot altogether be avoided in 
extracting the crystallizable sugar from the roots. In 
addition to sugar, which is the principal solid constituent 
of beets, there is found in them water, albuminous or 
nitrogenous compounds, vegetable fibre, pectinous com¬ 
pounds, and mineral constituents taken up from the soil. 
The following is the report of an analysis of a root 
grown in the neighbourhood of Lavenham, in Suffolk. 
The root is described as having a red top, rose-coloured 
skin, and weighing 2 lb. 4 4 oz. The specific gravity of 
ihe juice was 1-0689 at a temperature of 64° F. 
3Ioisture.82*72 
Albuminous compounds (containing 
•231 of nitrogen).l - 44 
Crude fibre (pulp).3-38 
Crystallizable sugar.10-94 
Pectin, colouring matter, etc. . . ‘45 
3Iineral matter (ash).1"07 
100-00 
Other roots grown at Lavenham, and in Norfolk, 
Berkshire and Buckinghamshire, contained from 9 to 11 
per cent, of sugar. . 
As an illustration of the importance of a judicious use 
of manure in the cultivation of beet, Dr. Yoelcker men¬ 
tioned that the highest percentage of sugar, amounting 
to 13 per cent., which he had obtained from any of the 
numerous specimens that had been sent him was from a 
xose-coloured Silesian beet weighing little above two 
pounds, which had been grown at Barking with London 
.sewage. On the other hand, in another specimen raised 
by the same sew r age in the same season, he found only 3 
per cent, of sugar. The author then described the pro¬ 
cess of the manufacture of beetroot sugar, an account of 
which we pui-pose giving in noticing another paper read 
before the Society at its next meeting. 
Beetroot distillation was the next subject passed under 
review, a business which on the Continent is often added 
to the sugar manufacture, as it enables the manufacturer 
in a season when the beetroot is too poor to extract the 
sugar with profit, to utilize the crop by fermenting the 
sliced roots or their saccharine juice, and obtain by dis¬ 
tillation the spirit which has been produced by the pro¬ 
cess of fermentation. The roots which are comparatively 
poor in sugar also contain a larger proportion of albu¬ 
minous and saliue constituents which interfere with the 
production of sugar-crystals, but have no influence on 
'the fermentation, and do not diminish the amount of 
.alcohol. In addition to water, the first distillation of the 
.fermented roots contains certain bye-products of fer¬ 
mentation which are poisonous, and have a very unplea¬ 
sant taste and smell. They are volatile, and popularly 
known under the name of fousel oils. From these vola¬ 
tile impurities the weak crude spirit is separated by 
rectification. 
The paper concluded with a reference to the value oi 
.the beetroot pulp, or refuse, which is produced in the 
•sugar manufactories or distilleries, as a feeding material. 
In its natural state the pulp contains from 70 to 72 per 
cent, of water, while in the ordinary mangold the water 
amounts on an average to S8 or 89 per cent. In round 
numbers the refuse pulp of sugar factories where presses 
are used contains, in 100 parts :— 
Water.70-0 
Sugar.1*5 
Albuminous compounds (flesh-forming 
matters).2 5 
Crude fibre and a little lactic acid . . . 24-0 
31ineral matter (ash).2 0 
100-0 
Taking into consideration the probable difference in 
the feeding value of sugar and vegetable fibre, Dr. 
Yoelcker said he was inclined to think that a ton of 
fresh beetroot pulp, as it comes from the presses, or old 
pulp, not containing more water than fresh, is worth 
fully as much for feeding purposes as 1| tons of the 
beetroots from which it is obtained, or two tons of com¬ 
mon mangolds. 
LONDON CHEMISTS’ ASSOCIATION. 
At the 3Ieeting on Thursday, 3Iarch 9th, 3Ir. Cox 
occupying the chair, Mr. Jessop made some remarks on 
Structural Botany. He endeavoured to show in what 
way the structure of plants, both with regard to their 
internal and external organs, may best bo studied. 
By the help of a number of well-executed diagrams, 
he; pointed out the differences in shape of the various 
kinds of cells, explaining how they became modified, 
and how they were all traceable back to the original 
oval shape. He carried out the same plan with roots 
and bulbs, and showed how the different forms of these 
may be dei’ived from certain primary forms ; several dia¬ 
grams were exhibited, in which leaves were traced from 
a few simple lines to their many modifications of shape. 
The arrangement of leaves upon their stems was next 
spoken of. It seemed, Mr. Jcssop remarked, that leaves 
followed some arithmetical rule of growth ; it was almost 
the only instance in which figures were of any use in 
botany. The theory that the veins of leaves strike off 
from the primary vein at the same angle as the stems of 
the plants on which they grow was also .gone into; there 
could be no doubt, he said, that similar species, and even 
genera, of plants followed such a law. 3Ir. Jcssop next 
spoke of plants becoming modified, so as to suit them¬ 
selves to certain conditions of life ; of how plants grow 
in classes and compose the scenery of certain districts 
and countries. After explaining why botany was not, 
and could not, be a science made up of abstract lav s, he 
said he certainly thought more might be done to simplify 
the study in the manner he had attempted. . 
After discussing some notes in the “ Inquiry Box, a 
vote of thanks to Mr. Jessop and the Chairman termi¬ 
nated the meeting. 
PHILADELPHIA COLLEGE OF PHARMACY. 
At the Pharmaceutical Meeting on 3Iarch 21st, 3Ir. 
oiiiNG referred to several specimens from a large natural 
;posit of phosphates, recently utilized by the Charleston 
South Carolina) 3Iining and 3Ianufacturing Company, 
ime of these are bones, vertebrae, etc., of large animals, 
it others appear of irregular and indefinite shapes,^ so 
i to obscure their origin. The quantity of this mate- 
al is immense, and it is readily obtained near the^sur- 
,ce. According to the published, analysis it contains 
3 out 29 per cent, of phosphoric acid, equal to about 03 
jr cent, of bone phosphate of lb 1 }* 3 j if 3 chief use at 
resent is in the fabrication of fertilizers. 
Prof. 3Iaisck exhibited samples of Vanilla planxjoua , 
-Bourbon Vanilla. This variety does not possess the 
ime delicacy of odour as the Mexican. Ihe bean 
Lffers from the 3Iexican, being shorter, wider and tei- 
