The record-union., 1897-12-07
CRUDE BEET SUGAR.
Farmers Can Produce Crude but
Not Refined Sugar.

The following correspondence, which
explains itself, will be of interest to
many farmers:
November 2 1897.
DR.. H. w. Wiley, Chief Chemist,
United States Department of Agricul-
ture, Washington d. C.-Dear Sir: The
"Epitomist" appeals to you as authority
on the subject of sugar making from
sugar beets, and asks for such informa-
tion as you may be willing to furnish
for publication in relation to some pro-
cess by which farmers may produce
beet sugar at home in small way for
their own use.
1t is hoped that this information,
which you are so we'll equipped to fur
nish TO the public, may enable the man
with cider or fruit press and a few
pots and kettles to do something for
himself in this line of work while await
ing the slow development of the beet
sugar industry on larger scale.
We have heard story of your exper-
iments with sorghum as boy on your
fathers farm. and may there not be
embryo scientists now to be stimulated
by the new sugar movement?
Trusting that you will consider our
appeal as pro bono publico, We are, dear
sir, most sincerely yours,
EPITOMIST PUBLISHING co.
United States Department Of Agricul-
ture, Division of Chemistry, Wash
ington D. c., Nov. 9, 1897.
The Epitomist Publishing Co., Indian
apolis Ind.-Gentlemen l have your
letter Of the I'd inst. asking me for an
expressiC1 of opinion in regard to some
process by which farmers may produce
beet sugar at home in small way for
their own use. In reply permit me to
say that the production of a crude beet
sugar in a small way is an extremely
simple process. Any farmer who is
equipped with a cider mill for rasping
the beets, a cider press for expressing
the juice and an eyaporator suitable
for making sorghum molasses, can pro-
duce a crude beet sugar. AS a rule,
this sugar will not be very palatable,
because it is not refined and contains
the salts and bitter principles which
make raw beet sugar and beet mo-
lasses, as a rule, unfit for table use. 1t
will be, however, an interesting object
lesson to our farmers to demonstrate
.he fact that the sugar Iet itself con-
tains sugar and that the latter can be
made in the crude way I have men
toned above. In this way the making
of sugar in a small way by farmers
may prove a stimulus to the -2dustry
and do great good. Farmers, however,
should not be deceived By the expecta-
tion of being able to make their sugar
in a successful way Commercially. The
successful and profitable manufacture
Of sugar can only be accomplished in
expensive factories, equipped with all
the appliances necessary to make pure
refined sugar. Only the pure refined
beet sugar can ever become an article
Of commerce. In this the beet differs
from the sugar cane, because the latter
win give a sugar which. even in the
crude state. is palatable and marketa-
BILE; in fact, many people prefer crude
cane sugar 10 the refined article on ac-
count Of its containing the aromatic
principles of the cane, which give 1t an
odor and flavor very acceptable to most
palates. I trust that any of your read
ers who may undertake the manufac-
ture Of beet sugar in the crude way I
have mentioned above may do so only
from the point of view indicated. and
rot with the expectation of making it
a commercial success. 7 am, respect
fully, II. w. WILEY,
Chief of Division