IMPROVEMENT OF THE SEED. 179 



Mr. Vilmorin, in 1851, brought to notice his method, 

 he taking- advantage of the above as a starting point; 

 but he observed that a cylindrical piece could be taken 

 from the root with an instrument similar to an apple 

 corer, and that the normal condition of the root would 

 not be altered, precaution having been taken to fill the 

 hole thus made with sand, as soon as possible, to pre- 

 vent any fermentation in its interior. 



The cylinders thus obtained were placed in a series 

 of vases tilled with a solution of sugar and water, care- 

 ful attention being paid to the moment when these 

 ceased to float. Several errors here existed, the most 

 important being the effect of endosmose, fermentation 

 in the solution, atmospheric effect produced upon the 

 small cylinder passing from one vase to another, etc., 

 and the idea was abandoned for another, in which the 

 extracted portion was reduced to a pulp with a rasp, 

 then pressed and tiltered, the exact density being 

 had with an areometer. This varies from 1.060 to 

 1.075 (8° to 10^ B.) for good beets. Here again we 

 have additional errors, the most important having been 

 noticed for the first time by Champonnois, and these 

 were due to a certain volume of gas contained in the 

 tissue of the root. On this account the density of the 

 beet is not proportional to its juice. The volume of 

 this for an ordinary root has frequently attained 45 

 c. c.,^ composed principally of nitrogen and carbonic 

 acid. 



' Cubic centimeters. 



