1916] PRITCHARD—SUGAR-BEET BREEDING 437 
sown in a progeny row between 2 check rows of Kleinwanzleben’s 
Original. The relationship between seed yield and percentage of 
sugar was determined from the data both with and without the 
use of checks. In table XII actual percentages of sugar are 
recorded in the horizontal columns, but in table XIII the values 
occupying these columns were obtained by dividing the percentage 
of sugar of each progeny row by the average percentage of sugar 
of its 2 contiguous checks. As the 2 tables were compiled from 
the same data they are alike, except that table XII shows the rela- 
tionship between seed yield and percentage of sugar when no checks 
were used, and table XIII when every alternate row was employed 
as a check. 
The tables show no correlation between a beet’s yield of seed 
and the average percentage of sugar in its progeny. The applica- 
tion of this fact to sugar-beet breeding is obvious, as extensive 
selections may be made for freer seed production without danger 
of sugar deterioration. Moreover, it affords an opportunity to 
reverse the order of selection by making the chief eliminations in the 
seed generation and thus greatly reduce the amount of chemical 
work and increase the effectiveness of the working funds. 
TRANSMISSION OF SELECTED QUALITIES OF MOTHER ROOTS.— 
Mother roots are selected chiefly on the basis of size, shape, and 
percentage of sugar, because these qualities are desired in the 
progeny and there is a popular belief that they are inherited, but 
we really know ver¥ little regarding the transmission of such char- 
acters. In the early period of beet breeding they appeared to 
improve through selection, but this was at a time when the material 
was very variable and full of distinct physiological species. Im- 
provement probably resulted from the isolation of these species, 
although the selections were made with a view to improving the 
characters. Today it is quite different. The poorer physiological 
species have gradually been eliminated and all varieties are now 
much alike. Moreover, such root characters as size and percentage 
of sugar—and incidentally this includes total sugar content—are 
markedly influenced by the environment. Consequently large 
fluctuations occur which are indistinguishable from hereditary 
differences. The fluctuations probably characterize the supposedly 
