Los Angeles daily herald., 1889-09-29

|
ss orystallizable sugar from beets, there
would no longer be any doubt of the sue
cess of this industry. But it is well
known to all manufacturers of beet roo;
sugar and sugar chemists, that the per-
centage of sugar indicated by the polari.
scope really obtained by working process
depends upon the percentage of salt and
other impurities contained in the beet,
that prevent capitalization. An appli-
cation of these we'll known rules by us
and the omission by you, explains the
discrepancy. Respectfully yours,
STANDARD SUGAR MANUF'G Co.,
By E. H. Dyer, Gen. Sup't.
EXTRACTS FROM OTHER LETTERS.
| Prof. Hllgard, in letter to Mr.. Ma
desu, November 9Th, says:
According to two determinations, the
sample brought by you contains AZ per
cont. of sugar in the air-dried condition !;
or, assuming them to contain 10 per
cent. of moisture, 466 when perfectly
dried.
Not long ago l received from the AL
varado Sugar Company, also, q sample
of dried beets, said to be those worked
by them, and to have yielded only about
20 per cent. of sugar. By my assay,
made on day when norther was
blowing, the sugar percentage was found
to be % 3, substantially agreeing with
| their statement.
AT the same time they sent two gam.
| pies of fresh beets obtained from you, as
stated. The assay Of these gave on All
average about II per cent of sugar in the
fresh beets; and in this, also, their state
ment of assay made by them agrees sub
stantially.
1t is, of couse, impossible for me to
say which sample represents correctly
your fifty tons. A microscopic examina-
from Alvarado, shows plainly enough a
wide difference between the two. About
half of the Alvarado sample consists
of shreds of brown tint,
tough and not capable of being
broken by bending; while all OF your
sample consists of pieces that can be
readily broken, and are white on the
| fracture; while their surface is covered
with small sugar crystals, of which but a
few are seen on the Alvarado sample.
should say that slow or imperfect
drying, or rain or heavy drizzle on the
dried beets before packing, might have
caused the trouble; but there are other
causes that might have caused the same
appearance.
As to the question of fact, viz: the true
average sugar percentage of your fifty
ton lot, one, OF course, can determine
nothing. The fresh beets assayed by me
would yield, on drying, about such
sample as you handed me, if everything
were properly conducted.
| In letter from Superintendent Dyer
to Professor Hilgard, November 18th, he
says;
We have made certain tests of his
beets and reported the results, which
show that the beets contain q very low
percentage of extractable sugar. You
have stated in your letter to Gennert at
they contained one-half sugar. Now to
the common mind the inference would be
that that amount, or nearly so, of mar.
ketable sugar could be obtained from
| these dried beets. In your last letter to
me you admit that the amount of sugar
obtained or extractable depends upon the
co-eficient of purity and the correctness
OF manufacture" but omit, or fail to state,
in what manner or to what extent is
effects the extraction of sugar indicated
by the polariscope.
That portion of your letter to Mr..
Nadeau, also to me, in which you in
sinuated that we did not send you fair
sample of the fifty tons of dried beets, I
would, if l could consistently, gladly
pass by unpoticed, for if had not the
written evidence before me I would not
| believe that you would attempt to GUS
tain your erroneous position by such
doubtful mode of defense.
| Now sir, in conclusion, permit me to
say, that hope you will consider it your
duty, as the head of the Department of
Agriculture in this State, if you believe,
as your letters seem to infer, that we,
either through ignorance or de-
sign, are not furnishing Mr.
Nadeau reliable information in
regard to his beets, that you
will investigate this matter to the bottom.
Over forty tons of his beets are in the
storehouses in the vicinity of our sugar
! works, and we will afford you. or any
one you may delegate to investigate the
matter every opportunity in our power to
do SO, Our laboratory and sugar house
and all the labor, both skilled and other
wise, in our employ is at your disposal
for that purpose. And if you can dem.
| onstrate that you can extract within 20
per cent. of what you say these beets
contain in good marketable sugar. we
"AAA Roy yOU Va ySuA AOPA OoOhthtlV0 PlOV
day for the time employed, and an sd-
ditional 81 900 as iurther compensation.
But, if this attempt is made and does not
succeed, then we are to be reimbursed
for all expenses incurred by US in max
ing the experiment. Respectfully yours,
STANDARD SuGAE MANUF'a Co.,
BY E. H. Dyer, Gen. Sup't.
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA,
CoLLEGE OF AGRICULTURE.
BERKELEY, November %, 1880.
e. II. Dyer, Alvarado:
SIR-Your communication of the 18th
inst. is received. You are laboring under
u mistake in imagining that Es Professor
of Agriculture in the State University, l
am under any obligations to determine
whether your sample of twenty-odd per
cent. of sugar, or Mr.. Nadeau's with twice
that amount, represents that particular
6fty-ton lot. You muet settle that be-
tween yourselves as best you can; and as
public has no interest whatever in
the matter, / decline to take any part in |
the question beyond the statement Of
facts as found by me, and laid down in |
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