366 Transactions.— Botany. 
IT undertook the examination of the roots when they should be sufficiently 
grown. Mr. W. A. Graham, of Tamahere, who had taken a very great 
interest in the matter, had papers printed according to a plan drawn out by 
myself, and forwarded to those settlers who had undertaken to grow the 
roots. These papers were designed to obtain data for the future guidance 
of a company, should one be formed through any satisfactory result of 
these experiments, and were divided into columns requesting information, 
as follows :— 
Particunars oF Warkato BEETROOTS. 
Whether | | : 
Ree | eee | here | ce, 
| cow an: becom che area ot 
—— drained, ete. | pen of obtained. possible, | jueut Notes. 
Whilé the reverse of the paper was headed 
“Special Notes” [Add here anything of interest to obtain complete details.] 
and also my address, to which the roots when required or matured were to 
be forwarded. 
The first instalment I received was from Mr. L. O'Neill, Hamilton, and 
came to hand on the 28th January. There were three roots, grown from 
seed imported by Mr. Lavers, and resulted as follows :— 
No. 1.—Weight, 2 Ibs. 2 ozs.; percentage of cane-sugar 10°95 
» 2— 4, eg OS of 2 . 10-17 
eee Ge ae pa us os 13°55 
On the 24th February, one month later, Mr. O’Neill again forwarded a 
parcel of four roots from the same crop. Taking the largest of them, weigh- 
ing 2 lbs. 2 ozs., I found the percentage of sugar to be 14-25, the three others 
I aggregated with a like percentage of 14-25. 
Finally, on the 24th August I received a parcel of five roots from the 
Same grower, which had been removed from the ground and stored, easer of 
which are on the table. Two of these I have examined, with the following 
results :— : 
No. 8.—Weight, 2 Ibs. 7 ozs. ; percentage of sugar 11:40 
nae og SOO ne ‘gg ge ies : 
The further examination of these roots I will speak of again, in relation 
to the specific gravity of the juice. 
On the 18th of February I received three roots from Mr. Ralph, 
Huntley, marked sugar-beet. They were of a full red-coloured skin, but I 
have obtained no knowledge of the name of the seed or where procured. 
Result of analysis :— : = 
No. 1.—Weight, 5Ibs. 5 ozs.; percentage of sugar 4°31 
» fo  @ 2 + ” 7-50 See 
ie Mg ” a ti | es 
