Factors Affecting Quality of Beets 211 



breeds of cows. The relation of breeding to quality is 

 discussed rather fully in the next chapter. 



The storage of beets may have considerable effect on 

 their quality, although if they are stored properly the 

 quality is not affected materially. A normal amount of 

 respiration goes on in all beets ; hence there is a gradual 

 loss of sugar. This may be slight if the temperature is 

 near the freezing point; but it increases rapidly as the 

 temperature rises. Claassen ^ says that the rate of res- 

 piration does not seem to be affected by the percentage 

 of sugar in the beets, but that it is much more rapid in 

 unripe than in ripe beets. Breaking the beets into pieces 

 and also any other mechanical injury tend to hasten 

 respiration. 



Freezing does not seem to injure the quality of beets, 

 particularly if they are allowed to thaw slowly. Re- 

 peated freezing and thawing, however, has a detrimental 

 effect, especially if the beets are allowed to become warm 

 between the freezings. Headden ^ found that though 

 simple freezing does not change the sugar-content of the 

 beet, the distribution of the sugar is affected if only part 

 of the beet is frozen. Sugar moves from the frozen to the 

 unfrozen part. 



Drying increases the percentage of sugar in the beet, 

 but the total amount is not increased ; in fact there is a 

 loss of sugar when the beets are allow'ed to lose moisture. 

 The purity is also reduced by drying. It is also more 

 difficult to extract sugar from wilted beets. The factory, 

 as well as the farmer, loses when beets are allowed to wilt. 



1 Claassen, H., "Beet Sugar Manufacture," p. 8. 

 » Headden, W. P., Colo. Exp. Sta., Bui. No. 46. 



