1868 The complete Practical Distiller

THE COMPLETE PRACTICAL DISTILLER.

128

manner, and not to use the seeds of degenerate species Experience has proved the Ureahy heet-root to be the least productive, and it must of course be rejected as much as possible. The beet-root thrives in mixed soils : by this is meant such as are not too mobile nor too argil- all sorts of manures, sparingly distributed; however, strawy manures and the stalling of herds are more proper for it. It is generally sown in the month of April, and gathered toward the end of September or beginning of October, according to the climate. As soon as the beet-roots are drawn out of the ground, they are necked and put up where the frost cannot injure them, in cellars or in pits dug four or five feet deep, covered after- ward with a layer of earth from one to one and a half foot in thickness. Then they are taken as wanted, and their juice is expressed by means of a rasp, which will now be described; this being, therefore, the most suitable place, we will now speak of — A frame made of oak, built strongly, having an oblong form, mounted on four legs joined together from top to bottom by cross-pieces, con- stitute the assemblage bearing the various parts of the mechanism ; nearly all of them disposed on the length of the upper cross-pieces. Those parts are composed of a wooden cylinder, made plain and suitably prepared. Its diameter is 18 inches, and its breadth 8 inches ; its cir- cumference is armed with 80 saw-blades, 7 inches long laceous, neither too calcareous nor too sandy. The soil should not be too damp nor too dry. It grows well after THE BEET-RASP. This is made as follows :