132 



Bulletin 244. 



The cowhorn, which is a long type but curved Hke a cow's horn, is 

 still grown in parts of Europe. 



The mangel is frequently referred to as a " root." Strictly speaking 

 it may be called a modified stem and primary root which are closely 

 united. Generally the following parts are to be recognized : 



The neck is the part that bears the leaves. This may be long, 

 medium or short. The aim of the breeder or grower is to have it as 

 short as possiye, the flesh firm and solid, with no tendency to sponginess 

 or hollowness. Generally speaking, the mangel is a biennial, that is, it 

 lives two years ; the first year it stores up food in its thickened stem and 

 root, which is used the second year in producing seed. Some plants try 



to produce seed the first 

 year, in which case the 

 neck rapidly elongates and 

 the plant blooms and little 

 or no thickening of the 

 stem or root takes place; 

 this also occurs in other 

 types of root-crops. 



The neck contains less 

 sugar than the remainder 

 of the plant and more in- 

 digestible nitrates and 

 other compounds, hence 

 its size should be restrict- 

 ed. Its function is to sup- 

 port the leaves, and a flat 

 crown can carry a large 

 rosette of leaves. 



The shoulders are 

 more prominent in some 

 varieties than in others. 

 They consist of the upper 

 part of the stem and do 

 not bear leaves. They 

 may be square or round, 

 prominent or slight. 

 The crown. The shoulders and neck constitute the crown, which 

 is removed in the case of sugar-beets before using them for the manufac- 

 ture of sugar. When but one shoot or neck arises from the crown it is 

 said to be single. If several shoots arise it is said to be multiple. This 

 is frequently seen and is undesirable. The smallest shoots grow largely 



Fig. 43. — Vihnor in Rosy half -sugar mangel. One of 

 the best half-sugar mangels. Though it grows into 

 the ground, yet if planted on light soil it is easily 

 harvested. Six-inch squares in the background. 



