EXAMINATION" OF THE BEET. 77 



merous expei'iments to ascertain what this delation was ; 

 the most important of these were by Walkhoff, Seharcht, 

 Bretschneider/ Champignon, and Pellet,'' etc., and 

 from these there can be no doubt as to the truth of the 

 above hypothesis. If a beet be examined when it is 

 a little larger than the above, we can see that the 

 various new zones' have continued forming in exactly 

 the same manner, and the utricles have remained per- 

 fectly transparent. (See fig. 10.) Mr. Decaisne tells us 

 that in the greater number of roots the vascular group 

 is central and unique, and becomes larger with age, 

 and is surrounded by a layer of various thickness of 

 cortical parenchyma composed of utricles. 



' Mr. WalkhofF gives in his book experiments of Bretschneider, these being 



to ascertain the proportions existing between the number of zones and leaves. 



T „„ ^„„„, „;, Coneentrle zones 



Leaves developed. ^^ ^^ ^^^^ 



* The experiments of Champignon and Pellet are even more interesting. 

 These gentlemen suppose that each zone is subdivided in two. 



Per cent, of sugar. No. of leaves. No. of zones, 



r 15.7 42 48 



Vilmorin's seed, { 14,8 39 36 



[ 13.8 31 32 



Ordinary seed, \ 



t 11. 19 20 



" Some authors contend that the number of zones in matured beets is limited 



to 7 ; to those going to seed the following year 10 ; but we cannot indorse this 



statement, as it seems to vary greatly, and consequently no rule can be given. 



