CHAPTER 11. 



Botanical Considerations Respecting" Beet Seed. 



The Beta Vulgaris, as the sugar beet is called, is 

 the most important of the man}- hundred varieties of 

 the Cliciwpodiaceae family to which it belongs. The 

 sugar beet comes under the head of the hermaphrodite 

 series, which originally was annual and through culti- 

 vation has become bi-annual. During the first year of 

 its vegetation its function is to utilize its entire effort 

 in sugar elaboration through the intervention of leaves, 

 etc. During the second year there is a transformation 

 of many of these organic principles, the result being 

 seed formation; by this process the texture of the root 

 proper becomes very much more fibrous, during which 

 period there is a growth upward of stems or stalks, 

 which are frequently five feet in height; upon these 

 appear elongated leaves (Fig. i), which are, however, 

 roundish in shape. The stems throw ovit branches on 

 M'hich are ears of seed. These are frequently located 

 between the leaves and are generally in clusters of 

 three (Fig. 2), as shown in the enlarged, engraving; 

 each agglomeration of flowers contains one to six or 

 seven flowers, in most cases only three, and these are 

 attached or stuck together. 



Historical Facts Relating to the Fertilization 

 of Plants. 



Before going into details of the manner in which 

 the flower of the beet is fertilized, it is interesting to 

 recall several facts relating to the past. The ancient 

 authorities had ver}- vague vie^s of the whole ques- 

 tion. It was only during the ?iliddle Ages that botanists 



