GROWTH OF SUGAR-BEETS. 



387 



an undisturbed, early, and rapid development of the leaves. 

 The latter, it is asserted, exert a controlling influence on the 

 formation of sugar. 



M. Vilmorin considers a large number of rows of leaf- 

 marks an essential property of a good sugar-beet from which 

 to raise seed. The leaves, as a general rule, absorb atmos- 

 pheric food in proportion to their number and size. The 

 sooner they acquire a good size, and the more numerous they 

 are, the better are the chances of a copious formation of 

 sugar ; for this apparently depends to a great degree on the 

 supply of atmospheric food. There are three distinct periods 

 in the growth of the beet ; viz., the development of the 

 leaves, which ends usually in the first half of June ; the 

 formation of the roots, which is accomplished by the middle 

 of September or first part of October ; and, finally, the pro- 

 duction of the seeds, which takes place in the second year. 

 The ripeness of the roots is indicated by a change in the 

 color of leaves from a deep green to a yellowish tint. 



Those varieties which show a particular inclination to 

 grow out of the soil are considered inferior. As soon as the 

 leaves have reached their size, which happens in ordinary 

 years usually in the fore part of June, the loosening of the 

 soil and the covering up of the beet-roots cease, leaving 

 them undisturbed in their growth. To convey some idea 

 concerning the peculiar features in the growth of the sugar- 

 beet plant, I insert here some of the results of an interesting 

 investigation in this direction by Dr. P. Bretschneider. The 

 weights are in grammes, one gramme being equal to 15.43 

 grains : — 



