Beet Sugar
the sugar obtained from the beet; similar to cane sugar; but inferior in sweetening power . Beet root contains an average of about 10 per cent. of saccharine matter; sugar cane, ; sugar cane , 18 per cent. Of the varieties, the white Slevig beet is the richest.
The beet sugar industry was started by Marggraf, in Germany, in 1747, who was the first to discover that sugar could be extracted from the common beet. The first factory for its manufacture was erected by Achard, at Kunern , in Silesia, in 1802. Napoleon issued an imperial decree in the early part of his reign establishing this industry in France. In 1830, attempts were made in the United States to introduce the cultivation of the sugar beet. It was not, however, till 1876 that the first successful beet sugar factory was built, being erected in Alvarado, Cal. Others soon followed and the business has now become an important industry.
The following shows the production of beet sugar in Europe, as officially reported for 1919-1920 (in tons of 2,240 pounds):
Germany.
Czecho-Slovakia.
France..
Russia and Poland.
Belgium.
Holland..
Other countries.
Total in Europe.... 750,000 535,000 154,444 225,000 144,662 236,277 630,666 2,676,049 The following shows the production of beet sugar in the United States, as officially reported for 1919 (in tons of 2,000 pounds):
California.
Michigan.
Nebraska.
Ohio..
Utah..
Wisconsin..
Colorado.
Idaho...