59 



saccharine qualities of the Beet-Root, by selecting as seed- 

 bearers, during several successive years, the specimens of the 

 Beet, found to be richest in sugar. This point was determined 

 by boring many individual beets with a metallic cylinder, and 

 expressing the juice from the pulp thus obtained. The den- 

 sity of the jxiice, which is proportionate to the sugar it con- 

 tains, was ascertained by weighing, in the different specimens, 

 -a small silver button, carefully securing uniformity of tem- 

 perature and other conditions which might affect the result. 

 By this method pursued during five years, he secured speci- 

 mens of the juice which yielded twenty-one per cent, of sugar, 

 and established the important fact of the hereditary trans- 

 mission of the saccharine qualities of Beet Root. 



A general conversation on subjects suggested by the above 

 communication ensued, participated in by Messrs. J. A. 

 Goldthwaite; G. D. Phippen ; H. Wheatland ; the chair 

 and others. 



Adjourned. 



Monday, March 4, 1861. 



Meeting this evening, A. C. Goodell, Jr.. in the Chair. 

 Records of preceding meeting read. 



Donations announced from the following : 

 To the Library from J. F. Allen ; James A. Gillis ; Ohio 

 Mechanic's Institute at Cincinnati ; J. Linton Waters of 

 Chicago, 111. ; H. F. Shepard ; Alfred Stone ; Samuel R. 

 Curwen ; C. Allen Browne ; A. G. Browne, Jr. ; Frank- 

 lin Bacheller of Lynn ; Miss Mary R. Kirnball. 



To the Cabinets from Jacob C. Hiltz ; J. B. King; W. 

 G. Webb; M. C. Martins of Bissau, W. C. A.; Charles 

 Millett, 2d. 



