BEET SUGAR.
Dublin Core
Title
BEET SUGAR.
Description
It is time that all interested in agriculture, or commerce, or politics, should direct their attention to the subject of making sugar of beets.
The notion was communicated to Bonaparte, on the 19th of March, 1811, by a Mr. Ishard; and by a decree of the Emperor, experimental factories were at once erected. Since that date, with some vicissitudes, this business has increased with extraordinary rapidity in France. At this time, it is computed that there are in France three hundred manufactories, producing annually, from 18 to 20,000,000 pounds of brown sugar, being about one-third of all the sugar used in that country; and so great is the ardor and success with which the business is prosecuted, that in three or four years, it will furnish the whole amount for home consumption, and begin to export. That this is true appears evident, from the notice which the French Minister of Finance, D'Argout, has given it, in bringing forward a bill imposing heavy taxes upon the sugar, and alleging as a reason, that unless some such duty belavied upon it, the colonial sugars (i.e. cane sugar) cannot compete with it, and the trade in sugars from the ladies must be entirely destroyed. Certainly the amount mad and making must be immense, to threaten the old colonial establishments with ruin!
The beet contains on an average, about ten per cent, saccharine, and three per cent, molasses.
Three distinct objects are had in view in cultivating the beet.
1. The making of sugar. We give an abstract of the expenses and profits of one establishment.
500 tons of beet, at 83 20 $1,000 00
Hire of laborers 400 40
Fuel 473 20
Material used in manufactory 813 60
Rents, Sundries, &c. 392 80
Interest on capital borrowed 450 00
------------
$4,130 00
Received from sale of molasses,
pumices, &c. 750 00
Deducting this from the expendi-
tures, the outlay stands at $3,380 00
This outlay has produced 50,000
pounds of sugar. 36,000lbs
of which, at 15 cents, and
14,000 do. 19 cents. produce, $6,800 00
Deducting 3,380 00
---------------
Profit. $3,420 00
2. The feeding of cattle.--Cattle, horses and sheep, fatten better on the pumice of beets, than upon any other food.
3. The improvement of the soil.--The weeding and working of the soil, in raising beets, produced a most healthful effect upon it.
In these three respects, the cultivation of the beet is regarded as of the highest importance.
It has already been introduced into our country. An association has been formed at Philadelphia (we believe) and has sent a gentleman to France to learn the process of sugar making. Quantities of seed have been sent thence, and distributed in this country; and preparations are being made for extensive manufacturing.
The effects of this new business is to be felt in more ways than upon our commerce.
1. It will connect the fattening of cattle, stock-growing, with sugar and molasses making, as more profitable than distilling, and thus give a sidelong blow to the employment of capital in the manufacture of spirits. But--
2. It is to have a very much higher bearing upon another subject. If it shall outrun the West India sugar, then our market will be supplied by two competing sugar departments, the Northern and the Southern. This brings Northern and Southern enterprise into competition, and fairly tries the relative values of slave-labor and free labor. It is said in France, that the beet will hold out acre for acre with the cane; but will slave labor on cane sugar, equal free labor upon beet sugar? If not--if Northern free labor can undersell Southern slave labor, and take from her the sugar market, it will cripple the Southwestern States in a very essential degree, and reduce the value of slaves; and very strongly tend to make them worthless. If, in addition, free labor could compete with slave labor on cottons, or some substitute, slave property would be an enormous taxation, rather than profitable, and would soon go into disuse. These changes in business afford much food for reflection, and much room for benevolent enterprise.
The notion was communicated to Bonaparte, on the 19th of March, 1811, by a Mr. Ishard; and by a decree of the Emperor, experimental factories were at once erected. Since that date, with some vicissitudes, this business has increased with extraordinary rapidity in France. At this time, it is computed that there are in France three hundred manufactories, producing annually, from 18 to 20,000,000 pounds of brown sugar, being about one-third of all the sugar used in that country; and so great is the ardor and success with which the business is prosecuted, that in three or four years, it will furnish the whole amount for home consumption, and begin to export. That this is true appears evident, from the notice which the French Minister of Finance, D'Argout, has given it, in bringing forward a bill imposing heavy taxes upon the sugar, and alleging as a reason, that unless some such duty belavied upon it, the colonial sugars (i.e. cane sugar) cannot compete with it, and the trade in sugars from the ladies must be entirely destroyed. Certainly the amount mad and making must be immense, to threaten the old colonial establishments with ruin!
The beet contains on an average, about ten per cent, saccharine, and three per cent, molasses.
Three distinct objects are had in view in cultivating the beet.
1. The making of sugar. We give an abstract of the expenses and profits of one establishment.
500 tons of beet, at 83 20 $1,000 00
Hire of laborers 400 40
Fuel 473 20
Material used in manufactory 813 60
Rents, Sundries, &c. 392 80
Interest on capital borrowed 450 00
------------
$4,130 00
Received from sale of molasses,
pumices, &c. 750 00
Deducting this from the expendi-
tures, the outlay stands at $3,380 00
This outlay has produced 50,000
pounds of sugar. 36,000lbs
of which, at 15 cents, and
14,000 do. 19 cents. produce, $6,800 00
Deducting 3,380 00
---------------
Profit. $3,420 00
2. The feeding of cattle.--Cattle, horses and sheep, fatten better on the pumice of beets, than upon any other food.
3. The improvement of the soil.--The weeding and working of the soil, in raising beets, produced a most healthful effect upon it.
In these three respects, the cultivation of the beet is regarded as of the highest importance.
It has already been introduced into our country. An association has been formed at Philadelphia (we believe) and has sent a gentleman to France to learn the process of sugar making. Quantities of seed have been sent thence, and distributed in this country; and preparations are being made for extensive manufacturing.
The effects of this new business is to be felt in more ways than upon our commerce.
1. It will connect the fattening of cattle, stock-growing, with sugar and molasses making, as more profitable than distilling, and thus give a sidelong blow to the employment of capital in the manufacture of spirits. But--
2. It is to have a very much higher bearing upon another subject. If it shall outrun the West India sugar, then our market will be supplied by two competing sugar departments, the Northern and the Southern. This brings Northern and Southern enterprise into competition, and fairly tries the relative values of slave-labor and free labor. It is said in France, that the beet will hold out acre for acre with the cane; but will slave labor on cane sugar, equal free labor upon beet sugar? If not--if Northern free labor can undersell Southern slave labor, and take from her the sugar market, it will cripple the Southwestern States in a very essential degree, and reduce the value of slaves; and very strongly tend to make them worthless. If, in addition, free labor could compete with slave labor on cottons, or some substitute, slave property would be an enormous taxation, rather than profitable, and would soon go into disuse. These changes in business afford much food for reflection, and much room for benevolent enterprise.
Source
Liberator 6:38, p. 1
(also published in the Cincinnati Journal and Christian Secretary)
(also published in the Cincinnati Journal and Christian Secretary)
Date
9.17.1836
Collection
Citation
“BEET SUGAR.,” No Stain of Tears and Blood, accessed October 22, 2026, https://productsoffreelabor.com/items/show/117.
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