28 



SUPPLEMENT. 



ing up of tlie bcct-roots ceases, leaving them undisturbed in 

 their growth. To convey some idea concerning the peculiar 

 featilres 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 : — 



The harvesting of the sugar-beet root begins, when the outer 

 leaves turn yellow and dry, which in different seasons and 

 localities may vary from the fore part of September to tlie first 

 of October ; the past season being with us unusually dry and 

 warm caused a somewhat premature dying out of the leaves 

 upon our experimental field. Tlie gathering of the leaves, even 

 in part, at any preceding stage of the growth of the plants, is 

 seriously objected to, for it affects most decidedly the final yield 

 of sugar. Nature, in its wonderful economy of matter and force, 

 always provides for the continuance of species under the most 

 advantageous conditions, storing up in some of the organs of 

 plants under the influence of a favorable summer temperature 

 a maximum of such compounds as will enable them to develop 

 their organs for propagation almost independent of outside 

 assistance. The flowers and subsequently the seeds draw upon 



