SELECTING BEETS FOR SEED. 59 



from what has been said in the foregoing, that there is 

 much contradiction, and the Besny types, which are 

 certainly not of the small kind, give very superior 

 results. This question of weight of mothers and the 

 yield of beets from the resulting seed is a paradox, 

 practical experiments having proved that they may 

 weigh one-fifth of a pound, or 2^ lbs, and yet the 

 yield to the acre of beets from the seed in each case will 

 be about the same. However, it is far better to be 

 within rational limits. 



As regards the physical selection on the fields, it 

 must be remembered that there are two kinds of selec- 

 tion; the one on an average beet field intended for the 

 factory, and the other from beets which have been 

 cultivated from selected mothers ; greater care is neces- 

 sary in the latter than in the former case, li is a great 

 mistake to adhere to the practice of sowing such beets 

 very near together so as to dwarf their size; better let 

 the development continue under normal conditions. 

 Under general principles, ^^•llatever be the physical 

 method selected, under no circumstances is it advis- 

 able to use a beet which, during its early stages, has 

 been attacked by insects. These ravages always pro- 

 duce a retarding effect upon the development of the 

 root, from which it never recovers. 



Selection by Appearance of Leaves. 



The value of physical selection based upon appear- 

 ance of leaves,- has more importance than is generally 

 attributed to this mode. In Russia it is maintained 

 that sugar beets in a fine healthy condition, having pale 

 leaves and changing color early in the season, are riper 

 and contain more sugar than those roots with dark 

 green leaves. At Knauer's, the argument is just the 

 reverse. They prefer a dark, rather than a light green. 

 Furthermore, beets with reddish leaves are of a poorer 

 quality than those with pale green leaves. The sugar 



