Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-10-24


Everything has Deen carefully consider
cd and from present indications there's
millions i'm It."
BEET-SUGAR INDUSTRY.
AS the manufacture of beet sugar is
destined TO become a Virginia enterprise.
l find at the Department Of Agriculture
that the production OF seed is one of the
most important operations connected with
the sugar-beet industry. On the care and
skill which are displayed in this process
depend the Improvement and mainte-
nance Of the sugar-producing qualities OF
the beet. There are many different
methods employed for producing seed
which will grow the richest sugar beets,
but there will be mentioned here only
a general outline OF the principles which
undcrlie the process. The beets which
are TO be preserved for seed ara called
mothers" and are carefully sliced. They
are selected at the time Of harvesting
from specially grown bocts or from fields
OF beets which have shown particularly
good qualities on analysis. The size on
the roots selected for mothers should be
about the average Of the best sugar
beets-viz. from 20 to "a ounces. Smaller
beets than these might show a higher
content Of sugar, but IT is not wise TO
produce a race Of small bcets by selecting
the seed from the very smallest and rich
est bcets grown. The weight of the
mothers having been decided upOn, tho
beets are next selected for their shape
and external appearance. Those regular
In shape and smooth In external form are
to be preferred. Roots Of irregular shape
or with more than one tap root should
be rejected.
The beets 10 be preserved for mothers
are harvested with unusual care. TO avoid
injury. The neck Is not cut away. but
the leaves are removed by cutting off the
stems without injuring the neck Of the
beet
The SLIDING should be Of such a nature
as 10 entirely protect the beets from frost
and YET prevent their growth in the silo
until the spring. The beets are removed
from the silo at an early date In the
spring and are Immediately subjected TO
analysis for the final selection. In the
early days Of the beet industry the beets
were selected almost solely on account
of their specific gravity. A brine Of a
given strength was made, and the beets,
thoroughly cleaned of dirt were thrown
into this brine Those which would
sink were selected as mothers, while
those that would swim were rejected.
DENSITY OF JUICE.
At the present time the final selection
depends upon the actual determination Of
the density Of the juice of the beet which
Is to be selected as a mother and the es-
timation Of it's content OF sugar For this
purpose a cylindrical piece Of the beet is
removed by an appropriate instrument
cutting dagonally through the centre Of
the root. The piece may weigh 2 ounces
or even more, and its removal does not
iniure the beet for terminating purposes.
The juice is expressed from this piece,
and its specific gravity determined by
weighing in it, at a given temperature,
a silver button Of known weight.
The sugar content of the juice is next
determined by means Of the polariscope
BY means Of these two data the quail
ties Of the beet for the production OF
seed are determined. and also the CO.
efficient of purity; that is, the number
obtained by dividing the percentage Of
sugar In the juice by the percentage Of
solid matters as determined by its specific
gravity in mother beets this number
is found somewhere between 80 and 90
The actual method Of selection may be
illustrated as follows:
The operator determines beforehand
his standard, which in most cases will
consist Of juice containing from l6 TO rs
per cent. of sugar. with a purity of So.
The beets are analyZed separately, and
are at once divided into two great class
es-namely. those in which either the con-
tent Of sugar or the purity falls below
the fixed figure, and. second, those in
which these two numbers are equal to
or exceed the fixed figures. II is some
times customary to divide these two
classes into two portions-viz.. those roots
I'm which the numbers are equal to or
slightly above the standard, and, second.
those which show exceptional richness.
II is also customary TO number each beet,
and the number, which is cut into the skin
of the beet, will remain legible even after
the seed has rippened. Some Of the pro-
ducers Of sugar-beet seed preserve the
product Of seed from each beet by itself,
and do not use 1t TO inaugurate the pro-
duction Of seed for commerce until it
has received an additional years trial
BY this method Of careful, scientific
culture the sugar beet has been raised 10
it's present high standard Of excellence,
and is only maintained at this standard
by constant supervision.
The sugar-beet seed produced by the
above method is not sold for planting
fields. but is used solely for the produc-
ton of the seed of commerce i'm the fourth
or sixth year from the parent, as the
case may be.
DOMESTIC PRODUCTION OF SEED.
The commercial production Of beet seed
of pure pedigree and high grade has not
been practiced TO any extent in this coun-
try. The Alameda Sugar Company, and
perhaps others have grown large guam
titles of beet seed for domestic use, but
without any attempt to sustain or in.
crease the sugar content by scientific
methods. During the continuance of the
experiment station at Schuyler. Neb.
system for the production of beet seed OF
exceptionally high grade was inaugurated.
embodying all the best features of the
methods practiced in Europe. In the
spring Of 1893, $50 beets, which had been
carefully selected on account of their
nbyqical characteristics, and preserved in
a silo over winter. were subjected to an
ANALYSIS by removing a cylindrical core
from each one and subjecting the express
"a iuice therefrom TO a chemical exami-
nation.
POSTAL.
Among the fourth-class postmasters
commissioned October 2lst were the fol
lowing. Wilson Sawyer. South Mills. n.
"a money-order office; James Il. Sil.
YER Finis Creek. n. c.; John ID. Hunt
Friendship, n. c.; William S. Irwin
Columbia Furnace. Va; Samuel J.
Movers Rinkerton. Va.
-, office has been established Il