The process of manufacture may be classified under seven headings: 1. Transportation and cleaning of beets. 2. Extraction of juice, slicing and diffusion. 3. Purification, carbonation, filtration, concentration and sulfitation. 4. Formation of grain. 5. Partial drying, purging crystals from syrup in centrifugals. 6. Final drying. 7. Packing. TRANSPORTATION AND CLEANING The beets, after delivery to the factory, are stored in V-shaped bins, in the bottom of which is a flume covered by removable boards. By removing the boards, one at a time, the beets are fed into the flume, where a swift current of water floats them into the factory. From this flume the beets are lifted by means of a large wheel, a helical screw or any other suitable device, and discharged into a washer. The common form of washer consists of a horizontal, semi-cylindrical tank provided with rotating, kicking or stirring arms for keeping the beets in motion. In this tank the beet is completely cleaned and separated from adhering earth, weeds and pebbles. [Illustration: _By permission of Truman G. Palmer, Esq._ DELIVERING BEETS TO THE FACTORY BY TRAIN] [Illustration: _By permission of Truman G. Palmer, Esq._ GENERAL INTERIOR VIEW OF BEET-SUGAR FACTORY—SHOWING FILTER PRESSES IN FOREGROUND; PANS AND EVAPORATORS IN REAR] The beets are delivered from the washer into an elevator, which takes them to a point near the top of the factory and discharges them into automatic weighing and recording scales. From the scales the beets fall by gravity into the slicing machines. EXTRACTION OF JUICE, SLICING AND DIFFUSION The slices are made in various shapes and forms. The slicing machines consist of revolving, corrugated knives which cut the beets into long, thin slices or “cossettes.” The object is to produce slices which expose the greatest amount of surface, and yet sufficiently firm to lie not too closely together when placed in the diffusion battery, thereby preventing the circulation of the diffusion liquors. The cossettes are conveyed on an endless belt, or through a hopper, to the cells of the diffusion battery. As the term implies, the juice in the beet is extracted by diffusion, and not by crushing, as in the case of cane. When two liquids, separated by a membrane, are brought in direct contact with each other and allowed to stand for a time, they mix uniformly without the assistance of mechanical or other force. Beets are made up of a great number of plant cells, the walls of which are porous membranes. These cells are placed in contact with water or juice of lesser sugar content than the juice in the plant cell, in consequence of which the juice is gradually diffused from the beet and carried away in the circulating water which is added. When this water, or rather juice, has reached a certain stage of concentration, it is drawn out of the cells and sent to the next stage in the process of manufacture.