20 SUGAR-BEET SEED 



must be of good size for a considerable distance below 

 their point of greatest diameter. 



The texture and color of their skin are important 

 considerations; the tougher the skin, the richer is 

 the beet in sugar. 



Two spiral depressions always should extend from 

 the neck down, filled with a hairy growth, as the hairs 

 aid in extracting from the soil the maximum amount 

 of plant food. 



They should be as regular as though made in a 

 mold. Irregular shaped beets are not easily cleaned, 

 the adhering dirt dulls the beet knives, hence the slicing 

 is poorly done, the cossettes do not give satisfaction 

 in the diffusion battery, and owing to the dirt the 

 juices are impure. 



The beets which pass the second physical selection 

 are tagged with a card bearing a number and printed 

 form upon which each mark of the pedigree and qualities 

 can be noted in detail, and each beet is photographed. 



The leaves are removed, weighed and the weight 

 is noted; the beets selected are carefully laid away. 

 The other beets are dug and used for making sugar. 

 In November and December a further physical exam- 

 ination is made of the beets which have been selected 

 for mothers. After passing through an automatic 



