CULTIVATION OF BEET ROOT.

New Zealander, Volume 1, Issue 20, 18 October 1845, Page 2

CULTIVATION OF BEET ROOT.

The rapid and prolific growth of all vegetable substances, in this Colony, naturally excites attention to the cultivation of such as are, in my manner applicable to be converted into ather substances ; so as to be remunerative to the grower, as well as to tend to fructify the .imited capital of the Colony at large, and liminish the imports of absolute necessaries. Of such vegetable substances we know of lone more deserving of the serious attention )f the agriculturists of the Colony, than the sultivation of Beet Root or Mangel Wurzel. It is well known that the Berlin, and Milan decrees of Buonaparte, at the commencement of the present century, prohibited, most strictly, the importation of colonial sugar from the whole continent of Europe ; and that the French Emperor was most lavish in his bounties, and unlimited in his encouragement to those who first commenced the. cultivation of substances affording saccharine matter,"" in such abundance and strength as, ultimately, crystallized sugar could be obtained from them. The most scientific chemists, in France and Germany, were engaged in this object ; and hence arose the vast extent of cultivation of mangel wurzle in the northern provinces of France : the cultivators applying their energies to produce the greatest quantity of root per acre — the professors of science essaying, incessantly, to extract, by various chemical agents, all the saccharine matter existing in the root. As the science of chemistry, and'its application to agriculture has advanced, 'so have been the increase from cultivation, as well as of product from the root ; until, at length, the sugar produced on the continent^ at the present time — although Berlin decrees no longer exist, and France is anxious to suppress the home manufacture from beet, in order to promote her colonial and maritime interestsis immense in quantity, and can be produced at a very cheap rate. In 1844, the quantity of refined sugar, manufactured from beet-root, in France, was 71,595 cwts; and oi colonial raw sugar, there was imported 1,953,125 cwts. At the first'* 1 ; commencemert of the manufacture of sugar/ from mangel-wurzle, 2 and 3 per cent of refined sugar, in proportion to the gross weightof the root, was deemed a remunerating and encouraging product. The root, at that timei was cut into slices, and the juice operated upon in a cold state ; but improvements, by rasping the root, increased the produce to five per cent; and by the recent discoveries and experiments of the celebrated Dumas, professor of chymistry at the French Institute of Paris, in treating the sliced root with sulphuric acid, at the temperature of 140° Fahr., and then by hydraulic pressure, extracting completely, with the aqueous part, the whole of the sac- ' charine matter from the fibrous substance of the root,— the product has been brought to exceed 8 per cent of refined, or white chrystallized sugar, and 5 per cent of treacle. It is true, that in th«se early days of the Colony, that capital and machinery for such purpose cannot be anticipated ; but, as in all - manufactures, the great considerations are, 1^ the cost of the raw. material — and of the agerits employed— we deem it not unprofitable or uninteresting occupation, that we should excite attention to this subject, in order to induce experiments, by our agricultural settlers, as to the quantity, in weight, that can be produced in this Colony of mangel wurzel per acre. The process of making refined sugar from beet root, is extremely simple, and less expensive than refining from raw sugar. After the juice is separated from the fibrous particles of the root, it is passed through filters of

animal charcoal to make it colourless. The liquor is then evaporated to crystallization, and the treacle drawn off. It must be likewise observed, that the pulp remaining is valuable in fattening cattle, especially pigs, and to the great beet refineries, in the north of France, large herds of swine are always appended as source of profit. The value of the pulp in France, is considered to be about one eighth of the original cost of the root. Now as to the pioduct per acre. In England by the application of manure, such as nitrate of soda, guano, [and bone dust, from 40 to 45 tons per acre ; and without manure, 30 to 35 tons per k - acre have been produced ; and the latter quantity is the average product in France. The cost of cultivation, in France, including rent, taxes, and carriage to the refinery, is from 14 to 16 francs, per English ton weight; or, about 6d. to Bd. per cwt. The expense of refining, in France, including interest on capital and all other expenses, is estimated at about 40 francs per ton weight of beet root, or about Is, 6d. per cwt. From these observations, bearing in mind the proportionate product of refining Sugar to the weight of beet root, a basis can be made when the quantity and expense of product, in New Zealand are ascertained, for calculating at what expence sugar could be manufactured in this Colony : and we hope that experiment ■will be made, by some of our enterprising agriculturists, to ascertain what weight can be obtained per acre of mangel wurzel.

The " Bolina." — It is with the most heartfelt satisfaction we have to announce, to our readers, and the whole Colony, the safe arrival of the barque Bolina, Captain Daldy, in England, on the 3rd of June last, having sailed from this port on the 20th December, 1844. To the Colony, her safe arrival, with such valuable specimens of its various indigenous products, accompanied by such men as Doctor Martin and Mr. Brown, cannot but be cause of the highest gratification, inasmuch as it will most certainly be productive of future most advantageous results, in all bur internal enterprizes. We well recollect the funereal satire put forth by our cotemporary, just previous to the departure of the Bolina, on one whom we have ever highly esteemed, and who, we fearlessly assert, will, in conjunction with his companion, be enabled to impart to the Colonial office more information, practicable and useful, than all the late officials who may have reached England, and tendered their advice to the authorities in Downing-street. It cannot be doubted, that the attention of British capitalists will most certainly be directed to this Colony by the information of those gentlemen, with such proofs of the abundance of copper ore, manganese, dye woods, tanning bark, kauri gum, wool, sarsaparilla root, extracts from various barks, fuller's earth, umber, flax, sulphur, furniture woods, spars, deck planks, and balk timber. We trust, ere long, notwithstanding the present difficulties of the Colony, we shall have the pleasure of welcoming the respected individuals who were passengers in the Bolina, again in this Colony, and of one of whom it was written in December last — " may he be speedily able to write Mesurrexi,"— that he will> greeted by the congratulation of his friends, respond — " Ego resurgam,"

Granary and Flour Mill.— We understand that very shortly a steam engine will arrive from Sydney, for the purpose of working a flour mill on a powerful scale, and, that the parties embarking in such undertaking propose uniting the home lucrative trade of corn factors and millers. If the farmers in the adjacent districts were certain of a market for their wheat at some price, or accessible of cheap means of converting it into flour, when required, there would be some encouragement to pursue agriculture with spirit ; but at present, the fields had better remain fallow.

In, our advertising columns it will be seen that- the sale of household furniture, &c, at Government House, which was announced by Messrs. Brown & Campbell for the 22nd, is postponed until Wednesday, the 29th inst.