FACTS FOR FARMERS. BEETROOT SUGAR.

Waikato Times, Volume IV, Issue 185, 17 July 1873, Page 2

FACTS FOR FARMERS. BEETROOT SUGAR.

In this pamphlet of 1G pages the reader will find all that is necessary to enable him to "manufacture a rough sweet, fit for the refiner, from beetroot grown by himself as an ordinary field crop." The pamphlet is published in Toronto, and it is n pity that it should not appear also in this country. We give below the full address of the author, m case any reader of this notice should desire to apply to him ; and wo extract a short passage which illustrates the practical manner in which he has treated his subject, and the importance, as it seems to ns, of getting his pages fully published here. The following is his summary of the proecs of sugar-making to the extent to which it can be conducted on a farm :—: — " The roots nre wnshod with great care nfier being stripped of the leaves, and the crown being cut oil", talcing care not to biT.ik off the small lower end of the roots, which are richest in sugar. " The roots are then raspod down in the finest possible pulp. " The pulp ia then pressed so a3 to get out the juice in the most perfect manner, and clear from all particles of root. " The juice is then put in the boiler, and brought to a boiling heat. " As soon as the juico boils, you add to it milk of lime, carefully made from fresh-burned limestone. The way to make milk of lime will be described further on. " The addition of the milk of lime checks the boiling, and you will see the juico turn from its black, disagreeable color, to a light shade ; and at the same tnno it breaks into flocks, a kind of curdling taking place. You stir the juice just enough to mix the milk of lime all through it, but not enough to break up the flocks of curdling. "As soon as you see that the juico clears between the flocks (which will bo in the course of a minuto or two), the whole ontents of the boiler are, as rapidly as possible, cast on to a filter cloth of canvas ; as fast as it strains through the canvas it must bo pumped back on it until the juice runs through the canvas bright and clear as vt inc. It should be of tho color of pale sherry. " When the liquor has cooled down to 120 d'eg. Fnhronheit, set the carbonation bellows (hereafter described) to work, and continue to pump or blow tho carbonic acid fumes from charcoal, or bard anthracite coal, through the liquor. This gas destroys tho causticity of tho l'me, and makes it into a carbonate, and it then fulls down in the liquor like a fine mud. " You continue to blow tho eras from the carbonation bellow s through the liquor until all caustic in tho lime is destroyed. Tins is known by the thick mud settling rapidly out of the liquor, leaving it clear and lino. "Then take somo of the clearest in a glass, or, if you can do so, filter a little through a close cloth until it is fine, then blow with a pipe or stiaw your breath from the lungs through tho liquor. If your breath muddies tho liquor, the bellows bnvn not worked long enough. If jour breath does not inuddv the liqunr the carbonation is complete. " Then filter tho whole through a canvas until it is quite bright and as fine as wine, returning the first runnings until it. runs clear. It will be quite bright, and may bo a little darker than it «in before it was carbonated. " It. is now fit to evaporate down into syrup, and as soon as it reaches the proper density, or proof, ifc ia sot by in u warm place, and in tho course of eight or ten days tho whole mass will crystallise into a coarse, dnrk, crude sugary substance, and thi* then, a- boon as it is parted; from what little molasses it contains, is fit for the refiner. " Had the been evaporated in a vacuum pan (as it ought to bo when the operator can afford it), tho crystals of sugar, instead of being brown, will be nearly white, and only require the cleansing action of jets of steam in the turbines, winch will be described further on. j " As soon as the crude sugar is all crystallised, throw the mass into tho turbine, which is then wade to revolve rapidly, and tho molasses are thrown off through the wire gauze, or perforated side*, of which the turbine is composed. " The resulting biisjui, although not fit for domostic U3C, is then fit for the refiner, and id «t once a saleable article."