THE CULTIVATOR—EXTRA. 
N. Y. State Agricultural Society. 
The society convened pursuant to adjournment at the 
City-Hall, in the city of Albany, on the first day of Fe¬ 
bruary, 1838. The President took the chair; Henry 
S. Randall, of Cortland, was appointed Secretary pro 
tem. After some preliminary arrangements, and for the 
purpose of enabling the State Agricultural Convention 
to be organized, the society adjourned to meet at the 
City-Hall on Friday, February 2d, at 10 o’clock, A. M. 
City-TIall, Friday, February 2 d, 1838. 
Mr. Buel, from the Board of Inspectors, appointed at 
the last annual meeting of the society to examine and 
test the merits of new farm implements, reported that 
the board met in July last, and examined various farm 
implements, which were exhibited for their inspection. 
[For report see Cultivator Vol. iv. No. 6 .] 
The Treasurer of the society presented hisannualre- 
port, which was read, accepted, and ordered to-be filed. 
Mr. Buel read a letter from Anthony Dey, of New- 
York, embracing copies of letters from J. W. Glass, of 
London, in relation to a new and improved process of 
manufacturing sugar from the beet. A copy of this 
communication was requested for publication, and is as 
follows: 
New-York, 23 d January, 1838. 
Judge Buel, —Dear Sir,—I send you copies of four 
letters I have, received from Mr. J. W. Glass, of “Clap¬ 
ton, London,” on the subject of making beet sugar. I 
have supposed the best service I could render the coun¬ 
try, was to transmit the information to you, and per¬ 
haps some one or more of the 20,000 subscribers you 
have, may find it to their advantage to correspond with 
Mr. Glass on the subject. Please make use of so much 
of the information conveyed as you may deem best to 
answer the desired purpose. 
With great respect and esteem, I remain, y’r m. ob. 
A. DEY, 63 Cedar-st. 
Clapton, London, 1st Nov. 1837. 
Anthony Dey, Esq. New-York: 
Dear Sir,—Aware that you are a great promo¬ 
ter of scientific improvements, I beg leave to inform 
you, that a gentleman of my acquaintance has taken out 
a patent for a very valuable discovery in the manufac¬ 
ture of sugar from beet root, (and equally applicable to 
maple,) which, after paying to government the protec¬ 
tory duty .of twenty-four shillings per cwt. he can afford 
to sell at half the price of West India sugars. By his 
process lie can extract the saccharine from the beet all 
the year through, whilst under the process now-employ¬ 
ed in France, &c. it can only be extracted about three 
months in the year. He has been offered £70,000 ster¬ 
ling for his patent for England, but will not take less 
than £100,000. It has occurred to me, that if the soil 
of the United States be adapted to the culture of the 
beet root, a joint stock company might be formed in 
New-York, which would find favor with the public, and 
become a profitable speculation. 
Your early and candid opinion on the subject will 
much oblige, dear, sir, respectfully, your most ob’tser’t, 
J. W. GLASS. 
Clapton, London, 7th Nov. 1837. 
Anthony Dey, Esq. New-York: 
Dear Sir,—I refer to my respects of 1st inst. 
on the subject of the latest new invention for the ex¬ 
traction of sugar from beet root, and now beg leave to 
hand a few more particulars for your information, cal¬ 
culated, including the enormous duty of 24s. per cwt. 
levied by this government, from which I presume the 
process in America would be exempt. 
The best French works are said to extract from one 
cwt. beet root six pounds of sugar and three pounds of 
molasses; by the new patent nine pounds of sugar is 
extracted, but little or no molasses. The French mode, 
therefore, gives six pounds of sugar at 6d. and three of 
molasses at 2d.: total 3s. 6d .; the new patent, nine 
pounds of sugar at 6 d.: 4s. 6 d. The average price at 
present, of West India sugar, is 37s. per cwt. Suppos¬ 
ing the expense of extraction similar, the product 
would be Is. per cwt. or 20 s. per ton of beet, more than 
on the French plan. The raw material, no doubt cheap¬ 
er with you, would cost 15s. per ton, therefore, any im¬ 
provement causing an extra product of 20 s per ton, 
would be 133 per cent on the raw article, besides the 
profit on the old French plan. The statement is the 
following: 
Cost of 1 ton of sugar beet,... 15 S- 
Manufacturing 12s. or say,. 15 s . 
Cost,. 30s. 
Produce .—180 pounds of sugar, at 6d . 90s! 
Less duty, at 24s. per cwt...38$. Qd. 
Tr , „ „ 51s. 6 d. 
V alue of refuse, the pulp being used by paper 
makers,;.. . 2s. 6d. 
Cost, . 
Profit, 
54s. 
30s. 
24s. 
ALBANY, MARCH, 1838. 
From these calculations I leave you to judge how far 
it might prove lucrative speculation, and I request your 
candid opinion of the best mode to carry it into opera¬ 
tion in the United States. 
Waiting the favor of your reply, I remain, dear sir, 
your most ob’nt servant, J. W. GLASS. 
Clapton, London, 13th November, 1837. 
Anthony Dey, Esq. New-York: 
Dear Sir,—Referring tomyrespects of 7thints. 
permit me to add a few words more for your considera¬ 
tion, in exemplification of the extract of sugar from beet 
root by the new process. The cost would not, without 
duty, exceed 2d. (4 cents ) per pound. 
Land in this country, ready for planting, rented at 
£6 per acre, stands, Avith cultivation, in not quite £10 
per acre; the produce averages fifteen or twenty ton 
per acre. We can contract rvith groAvers in different 
parts of the country at 15s. per ton. 
The question is, at what price can it be produced (de¬ 
livered) in America ? We have coals in Bristol, Liver¬ 
pool, &c. at ten shillings per ton. Here Ave beat you. 
As to the value of the patent, my Bristol friends say 
that £ 100,000 may be too little for it! So much depends 
on the profit to be made by it, the security from invasion, 
and the mode of payment, I should think it would be a 
splendid thing for America; and waiting the pleasure 
of your advice, I remain, respectfully, dear sir, your 
most obd’t servant, J. W. GLASS. 
The invention would be equally applicable to the ma¬ 
ple, or even the sugar cane. 
London, 8th Dec. 1837. 
Anthony Dey, Esq. New-York: 
Dear Sir,—I am on the point of concluding the 
formation of a joint stock company, for the extract of 
sugar from beet root, alluded to in my former letters, 
with a capital of three hundred thousand pounds, one- 
third of which goes to the patentee, a part in money, 
the rest in shares. I have already explained to you 
that this sugar can be produced here, paying 15s. per 
ton for the beet root, at four cents per pound; and as 
the raw material may probably be grown cheaper in 
America, there may be an advantage; and hence the 
patent of discovery may be found quite as valuable 
there, as it is here. There appears to be a great many 
in, as the last quotations from New-York give New-Or¬ 
leans sugar, wholesale, at 83 to 9 cents, and lump 14 to 
16 cents. 
I look with some anxiety for your opinion on the sub¬ 
ject; and remain, dear sir, your most obd’t servant. 
J. W. GLASS. 
Mr. Duane, of Schenectady, from the committee to col¬ 
lect statistical facts in relation'to the silk business, 
stated, that the chairman of the committee, Judge Spen¬ 
cer, was absent from the United States, and asked fur¬ 
ther time to report, which, on motion of Mr. Baldwin, 
of Onondaga, Avas granted. 
On motion of Mr. Buel, it was 
Resolved, That a committee be appointed to confer 
with the members of the legislature, and particularly 
with the agricultural committees of the two houses, on 
the expediency of making an appropriation of public 
moneys in aid of the improvement of our husbandry. 
The chair named, as the above committee, Messrs. 
J. B. Duane, of Schenectady, A. McIntyre and J. Buel, 
of Albany, J. J. Yiele, of Rensselaer, and A. Van Bergen, 
of Greene. 
On motion of Mr. Allen, of Erie, the president and 
secretary of the society, A\ r ere added to the committee. 
On motion, Messrs. Duane, Buel, and Van Bergen, 
were appointed a committee to report to the society 
names of officers for the ensuing year. 
Mr. Duane, from the above committee, reported the 
names of the following officers, and the report Avas 
unanimously adopted, viz: 
JOHN P. BEEKMAN, of Columbia, President. 
Anthony Van Bergen, of Greene, 
W. A. S. North, of Schenectady, 
Archibald McIntyre, of Albany, Vice-Presid’ts. 
Alexander Walsh, of Rensselaer, 
Harvey Baldwin, of Onondaga, 
J. Buel, Corresponding Secretary. 
John Walsh, Rec. Secretary. 
Caleb N. Bement, Treasurer. 
John Townsend, of Albany, 
Jesse Buel, of do. 
Alexander Walsh, of Rensselaer, Exe. Committee 
IJ. D. Grove, of 
L. F. Allen, of Erie, 
do. 
Mr. North introduced the following preamble and re¬ 
solutions, which Avere adopted: 
Inasmuch as the object of this society is the improve¬ 
ment of agriculture in all its branches,—and as the 
speediest way of diffusing agricultural knoAvledge, is by 
eliciting from its members, Avhatever of experience they 
may have gained in those departments of farming, to 
Avhich they have particularly turned their attention; 
therefore, 
Resolved, That committees of tivo be appointed to fur¬ 
nish the society, at its next annual meeting, reports on 
the following subjects: 
1. On farmyard management,as it relates to the win¬ 
tering of cattle and the augmentation of manures. [Com¬ 
mittee, Messrs. North and Duane, of Schenectady.] 
2. As regards the feeding and management of sheep 
in winter. [Committee, Messrs. Rotchj of'O'tsego, and 
Grove, of Rensselaer.] 
3. On the most approved method of stall feeding oxen 
and other neat cattle. [Committee, John Sanford and 
Dan. Brandley, of Onondaga.] 
4. On the best vegetable or root crops for feeding cat¬ 
tle, and the best manner of cultivating the same. [Com¬ 
mittee, Messrs. Buel and Bullock, of Albany.] 
5. On the most profitable mode of fattening hogs and 
rearing swine. [Committee, Messrs. Bement, of Alba¬ 
ny, and McDonald, of Washington.] 
6. On converting weeds, green crops, and vegetables 
into manure, and forming composts, and the application 
of different kinds of manure to different soils. [Com¬ 
mittee, Messrs. Ball and Walsh, of Rensselaer.] 
7. On the effects of lime and its application to different 
soils. [Committee, Messrs. W. Gaylord, of Onondaga, 
and J. J. Viele, of Rensselaer.] 
8. On meadoAV and pasture lands, and the best modes 
of renovating them, and of seeding down lands to grass. 
[Committee, Messrs. L. F. Allen, of Erie, and Mat¬ 
thews, of Cortland.] 
9. On the proper time to cut timotlty and clover, and 
the most approved method of curing the same. [Com¬ 
mittee, A. Van Bergen, of Greene, and S. Towsiey, of 
Onondaga.] 
10. To digest a plan for the improA^ement of our com¬ 
mon roads. [Committee, Messrs. Cheever, Buel and 
McIntyre, of Albany.] 
The society then adjourned to meet at the Assembly 
Chamber, at 4 P. M. 
Assembly Chamber, 4 P. M. Feb. 2. 
The President delivered the following 
Address. 
Gentlemen: 
Having been selected by your partiality, 
more than my fitness, to fill the office of president of 
this society for the last year, it is made my duty at the 
expiration of the term to address you. In doing so, I 
could wish to make it more than a simple matter of 
form. Were my abilities equal to my inclination, I 
would throw around the great subject we have met to 
discuss and improve, the most captivating eloquence, 
and the most convincing argument. But, gentlemen, I 
make no pretensions to the first; and, being a farmer 
by choice, if I can impart any interest to my subject, it 
is in the lessons I have draAvn from my own practical 
observations in husbandry. 
On an occasion like this, two years since, we were fa¬ 
vored Avitli an address from a most worthy and liberal 
minded member of this society, but who is noAv no more, 
on the necessity of educating our young men for farm¬ 
ers, and thus to make them more fully appreciate the 
responsibilities they owe to the advancement of their 
profession, to their country, and to society. On a simi¬ 
lar occasion last year, the subject selected for our consi¬ 
deration Avas, a history of agriculture from the earliest 
time until that period. Both were topics important and 
interesing, and peculiarly calculated to aAvaken our at¬ 
tention, deepen our impressions, and make us better and 
Aviser men. I could wish to impart an equal interest to 
the subject I have chosen; and that is, what ought to 
be the next step in the farther improvement of agricul¬ 
ture. 
All who hear me Avill doubtless agree Avith me, that 
as husbandry was the first instituted, so it is still the 
most important pursuit of man, and therefore, Avhatever 
tends to its improvement, is another ad Am nee toAvards 
the attainment of a common blessing. All will likewise 
concede, that ours has heretofore been more a laboring 
of the hands, than the head; and that, whilst we have 
literally fulfilled the command to “ earn our bread in 
the sweat of our brows,” Ave have not opened the 
sources of knoAvledge, and called science, which has 
shed so much light upon other subjects, to the aid of la¬ 
bor, but have been willing to plod on content, in too 
many instances, with the annually reduced pittance we 
have gleaned from the soil. But, can it be that science, 
which affords us so much intellectual gratification, and 
has opened so many fountains of wealth; which has 
made us more conversant with the innumerable works 
of the Deity, and enlarged both our enjoyment and ca¬ 
pacity ten thousand fold—can it be that she is forbid 
by the farmer to enter his domain, lest she should teach 
him lessons that may mortify his pride, or alarm his 
prejudice ? Or will he assume the ground that agricul¬ 
ture cannot be improved; that Ave have arrived at a 
point beyond Avliich the products of the soil cannot be 
increased, and Ave must be-content with our husbandry 
as it is; that farther innovation cannot advance it; and 
that however much the mind has done for other pur¬ 
suits, ours admits of no deeper research nor clearer in¬ 
vestigation? Gentlemen, could I be persuaded to adopt 
this opinion, I would erase my name from the roll of 
the members of this society; for to me the great charm 
of agriculture is the hope of its advancement. I can¬ 
not think that a God of infinite wisdom, who gave the 
immortal mind to man, with poAvers to look into the 
World around and above him, and by his intellect to 
make all in the universe subservient to his interest or 
