We are soon to have a new method for selecting mothers for seed production.  Details of the same are not yet public.  It is claimed that it will be possible to grow seed that will yield beets of a given quality determined in advance, a problem which has hitherto been thought impossible.

It will surprise many of our readers to learn that if “tops” or even half beets are planted, they will give seed, the quality of which is about same; showing that as soon as seed stalks commence to appear, the role of the root proper is of secondary consideration, as it serves simply as a medium between the beet and soil(?)

Sprayed water may be used with considerable success in washing sugar in centrifugals; it is claimed that this new process offers many advantages over either steam, water, or use of cleare.  White sugar to be washed is thoroughly mixed with a sugar sirup supersaturated.  The whole is run into centrifugals.  The sirup swung from the same is used in next and following operations; when it becomes too thick it is sent to the vacuum pan to be regrained.  The operation of washing lasts less than two minutes; three quarts of water are necessary for 200 lb. sugar.  The water spray at a pressure of 5 to 10 atmospheres is produced by a very simple appliance.

Total weight of refuse cossettes obtained during last campaign was 4,000,000 tons, about 700,000 tons of which were sold for $1,000,000; if what remains is dried, it would be worth $5,000,000.

Several sodic-baryta methods have been recently invented.  Of these we will mention one where 1/4000 to 1/2000 part of calcined soda is added to the beet slices in diffusors.  The juice when drawn from the battery is heated to 154 deg.  F., and defecated with hydrate of baryta and milk of lime.  Nearly all foreign substances are thus eliminated.  Carbonatation then follows.

Government taxation upon the sugar industry is destined within a few years to be withdrawn.  The new law recently put into operation no longer taxes beets worked at factory, but the sugar manufactured.  The rate of taxation is about 2 cents per pound on all sugar made.

Recent data from northeast Germany give the work during campaign 1890-91 of 54 associated beet sugar factories.  They used 2,130,000 tons beets, obtained from 142,602 acres of land, average yield 12 tons.  The total sugar amounted to 251,000 tons, of which 241,000 were from beets and 10,000 tons from molasses worked by special processes.  The polarization of beet juices averaged 13.09; masse cuite, 14.31; extraction of sugar of all grades, 11.79.  It required 848 lb. beets to produce 100 lb. sugar.

In every center where beet sugar is made there exists some local society; each year members from these societies meet to exchange views upon the sugar situation of the empire.

Of late, there has been a general complaint respecting quality of sugar sold on the Magdeburg market.  At one time the sugars averaged more organic substances than ash; now there is more ash than organic substances.  Such sugars are most difficult to work, and cause much loss of time in centrifugals.