54 SUGAR BEET SEED, 



influence upon their progeny among the higher classes 

 of the world's creation with those of the lower forms, 

 we find a resemblance which is simply appalling. A 

 lock of white hair, or an ungrown tooth, may continue 

 through hundreds of generations; that the talents or 

 special characteristics may jump a generation or more, 

 every one knows, but this may be a freak of nature, 

 and is certainly the exception. What applies to man 

 is also applicable to sugar beets. Selection according to 

 exterior signs only may, perchance, lead to excellent 

 results, but it is not desirable to put too much faith in 

 such methods. The real and only road to success is 

 a continued selection through all times, and not for a 

 period of years. An ultimate race or variety of sugar 

 beet is the outcome, not of physical selection alone, but 

 of physical and chemical combined. Nature fre- 

 quently accomplishes this in another manner; for 

 example, in fever districts. On the banks of the Ama- 

 zon, only the stronger Hve; the weaker disappear, the 

 outcome of which is a race that is not affected by the 

 local environment ; and if we examine into the anteced- 

 ents of these special individuals, we would find that a 

 physical foundation has been laid, and the good effects 

 are realized years later. 



Legras's Physical Selection — and Discussion as to 

 Other Methods Based Upon Small Beets, etc. 



As previously explained, in sugar-beet selection, 

 the object is not so much to obtain a root rich in sugar, 

 but one that is regular in shape, and offers no diffi- 

 culty in cleaning. Hence, the starting-point in phys- 

 ical selection is to have a regular elongated beet, one 

 that presents no difficulty during slicing at the factory, 

 and retains its tip end. How many examples could be 

 given of beets rich in sugar, but irregular in shape, and, 

 therefore, the slicing poorly done! The cossettes in 

 the diffusion battery do not give satisfaction; the juices 



