Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1838-09-20
BEET SHEAR

Hc WlOWLS is an extract oil letter
from d. L. Child, who travelled in France
in order to obtain information on raising
bcets and the manufacture Of beet sugar.
ARRAs, JAN. 9th, 1888.
DEAR FRIENDS have now been one
month an observer of labour in a sugar
mamufactory, and have made short visits To
several others. The beet sugar business,
taking in all its branches and M. ring, is
Interesting beyond my expectations; bu'
to the mere manufacture doubt whether
it is as profitable as Pcdder's report would
lead one to suppose. ...
In the first place the beets do not yield
on an average more than eOc per cent Of
sugar. They may yield more when first
dug and before they have begun to sprout,
but am satisfied sac per cent is the utter
most that can be calculated upon under the
most favorable circumstances. The bec,s
after being gathered together in heaps and
covered with earth to preserve them from
frost, soon begin to sprout. By the middle
of December this season, which has been
warmer than usual, they had pu, forth cons
siderably. Various expedients have been
employed to prevent the heat, which is
generated in the heaps, and gives rise to
this, but none ofthem have as yet complete
ly succeeded. This shows the importance
Of an early sowing and an early commences
ment Of working up the crop. Here the
seed is sown in the FIRST days Of May. In
Illinois, should suppose it might be sown
as early. The working up Of tile crop ought
to commence before it has attained its ut
termost growth, say in the last Of August or
the first days Of September at farthest. -
There will then be seven months for the
manufacture, aud most Of those, months in
which laberers have little employment. and
may be hired for comparatively small wa
ges. ,.' =.. .as.~-ea- =
The quality Of the sugar earliest made is
best, as well as the yield the greatest.
l have before me a specimen Of the
brown sugar beet, as full ofsacharine aud
as free from any bad taste as any cane SUI
gar ever saw, and far more beautiful ia. It's
appearance. 1t is like rich yellowish
New Orleans brown, that have occasions
ally seen in the Americas markets, only u
shade whittier. / have also specimen Of
clayed bee: sugar of pure wilderness, and
free from all i'll favor. While therefore |
state the general objection TO the brown
sugar Of bee,s, / also say that ip well
provided and well conducted sugar manu-
factory from beets just dug, or very well
preserved, brown. sugar can be made 40
good in every respect as any from the cane,
and far more beautiful and attractive in ap-
pearaDce. ... i. ...+...s
The most interesting aspect Of the beet
sugar business is. its bearing upon agricul-
iure and rural economy. f9al owl,
l. 1t Snriches the land both as an excel
lent substitute for following, and as produ.
cling an immense quantity Of capital ma.
nure.
2. It has the latter effect in various ways,
but principally by feeding large number Of
cattle and sheep; the former are fatted in
three to three and half months in man
ner really superb. So fine specimens, of
beef creatures are seldom seen in the Uni
ted States, after six months Of the best pas
turing and stall feeding. The sheep are
fattened in six weeks. Atihe mandatory
where ] have been, they pay on an average
about si1 louis for cattle, and sell them for
about eLecen. A louis is about o. 81. 'Isup-
pose that this branch Of the business would
be quite as lucrative in the United States,
where stock animals may be bought some
what cheaper. This is doubling capital
three times year. withr help however
of the pulp or pumice ofthe beet. This can
be kept good any desirable length oftime.
1t is sold here ut 10 cents the cwt.
8. The profits Of raising the bee,s is ve-
ry great, according To estimates which /
have from the most intelligent sources. !
do not fnd SO high as Mr.. Pedder did
My data made the net gain in France, after
paying rent, ploughing, wedding, hoeing,
digging and preserving, 4O4 francs per hec-
tar. This measure is trife over two
English acres. Consequently the profit Of
cultivating beeis on an acre will be 2O2
francs, about $38. Can you wonder that
land has risen from so to 150pe cent, in
the districts of the sugar manufactures the
produce Of nectar amounts to $50 81.-
This would give for 100 acres $2S40 near
~; and for 400, which would be the guam
tity required for the largest establishments,
$1l, $50, tn say nothing oftIIe profits of the
proprietor or lease holder, when he and the
laborer are one and the same. In this
case, besides getting pay for bis labour, and
tile rent or interest of his land. he would
receive the $SS per acre. Il. s,.+..
The land must be Ploughed eight inches
deep at least, and this ought to be done 10
the month Of August. Still fine crops Of
beets have been obtained by breaking Up
grass ground in the spring, Immediately
before the seeding. The land should be
turned up handsomely, and all the grass and
other vegetable matter fairly deposited un-
dernealh. Then il must be narrowed
deep and 6ne. but the same way with the
burrows. IL the burrows be disturbed, ii
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