The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-04-04

- RP4 80 80 -
STAINS pamphlet making a valuable
paper which. however. We shall IT,
obliged T. somewhat conlen-e. and
print in broken doses. Our patrons
vii DO well to preserve the copies EN-
b~raciug tn" article.-ED. +. A>D M.
CHAPEL Hull \. c.,
March 25th. l67S.
THE SJGAR-BEET ~ NORTH CARO-
LIHA.-Such i the title Of q pamphlet
Of 80 pages, ~embodying the results of
the first systematic attempt at the
culture Of the Sugar-Beet IN North
Carolina. Or. "A. r. LeLoux, Chemist
in charge OF State Experiment sta
ton, has cndeavored in this pubIica-
ton. to lay before the people Of orr
State what results were obtained With
the Beet, and the best method OF cul-
tiyatirs it here. Not only is this re.
port upon the Sugar-Beet the first Of
the kind eSer published here, il Is also
the first published in the South. North
Carolina preserves her reputation for
beginning great and important under
takings. The trouble with the good.
Old State is. that she contents herself
with 6~eginAjng q great work, and
leaves others to reap the substantial
benefits. She has taken hold OF the
Sugar-Beet first Of the Southern
States. as she took hold Of a Geologi-
cal Survey first Of the United States.
Let rs hope that from the Beet she
NAV derive as much material wealth
and prosperity as she did reputation
and homer from the survey Of 1921,
DIR. Ledoux's Report may be consid-
cred as the first impetus that has been
given to Beet culture in our State. It
is the official report of the State
Chemist on the analysis Of 81 (tweIty-
one) samples of the SuGar-Beet, its
method of cultivation, and the steps
to be taken to secure a fair return for
the time and money spent upon it.
The Doctor begins his report with a
brief account Of the history Of sugar,
which we VIII embOdy
sugar. in the form with which We
are most familiar-the so-caIled cane
sugar-has been known and used from
the most remote ages in India and
China. the very name coming down to
us through the Arabic or Persian Ian
guage, and it is known as "Sukkar"
in Arabia at the present day. The
"Calamus and "Sweet reed Of the
Bible, are also supposed TO refer to the
Sugar Cane.
THE manufacture Of Sugar came
slowly into Europe, entering by way
OF Venice in the 10th century. Strabo,
Arrian, Pliny and others had already
mentioned in their historical accounts
Of the nearer Orient, the occurrence
of a plant-undoubtedly the Cane
which yielded a syrup that was eaten
as honey with bread, and was brought
originally from India and Ethiopia.
"Pl;ny says further that it was
called .Saccharum, and that some
times when allowed to flow from the
bruised plant, it would form a white,
solid substance resembling salt, which
was used rs a medicine. The early
crusaders found the Svrians indulgine
in a sweet juice extracted from g
Cane which they broke up in mortars,
and sometimes allowed this extract tC
stand in the sun and evaporate. when
a whitish substance separated oUt
which was eaten with bread The
crusaders got some Of the seed an,
bringing back samples Of the Cane
they introduced its cultivation into
Rhodes, Sicily and Crete IN the 9ti
century. Thus spreading from tn,
Levanr as a starting point, the process.
of manufacture reached Venice III $50
Spain and Portugal coming next, ane
finally IN 1919 Sugar became an article
of importation into Great Britain il
considerable quantity.
1T IS by no means improbable tina
the S~paniards found the Sugar Can,
already growing, when they discover
ed the West Indies at any rate. Will
their wonderful ~adaptabiiitv Of sol
and climate. and the subsequent III
PRODUCTION of slave labor. thev sOoI
came into complete control Of tn
sugar markets, and IN the 10th cen
turv India. Europe. and the Mediter