78 



THE SUGAR BEET. 



Ill the beet these two elements are to be found, but 

 the parenchyma is replaced by a utricular tissue of the 

 medullary vascular zones, which, instead of being one 

 against the other, are separated by a mass of utricles 

 of variable thickness If a thin horizontal slice be made 

 in a beet and examined with the microscope, it will be 

 seen that the vascular groups are composed near the 

 centre of a considerable number of vessels, having 

 variable sections and a reticulated transparent tissue. 



Fig. 10. 



Fig. 11. 



Horizontal Section showing tTie Trans- 

 parency of the Utricles. 



If these be examined, commencing from the centre, 

 they will be seen to diminish in size from zone to zone, 

 and finally become invisible in the exterior ones.. These 

 are mainly formed by the utricular tissue that surrounds 

 the vascular groups in the central portion of the root. 

 (See fig. 11.) 



The utiicular tissue that exists between each group 

 is extremely transparent; this greatly diminishes when 

 the root has matured. When the beet pulp is washed 

 in alcohol and dried, these utricles become so com- 



