150 SUGAR EEET SEED. 



discussions have followed respecting it. The weight 

 of authority appears to be that the sugar has entirely 

 disappeared. If this issue be examined on a rational 

 basis, it will be found that the life of the beet terminates 

 with the seed; the functions being complete, the root 

 soon rots — no sugar can then be found. However, 

 cases have been cited when one to one-half per cent, 

 appears to remain. A simple experiment to show 

 that the sugar disappears as the stems, etc., continue 

 their development, is to cut off the stems as fast as they 

 appear; it will not require many months before all the 

 sugar will have left the root. M. H. Leplay has given 

 the subject considerable attention, and it is interesting 

 to follow what is said upon the subject and the con- 

 clusions drawn. 



The beets upon which the observations were made 

 were in an excellent condition, and had been cultivated 

 on a calcareous soil. When harvested, the leaves were 

 twisted off and then remained untouched; the roots 

 were planted in May and examined during various 

 periods of their vegetation. The density of the juice 

 constantly decreased in the root; when the mothers 

 were planted it was 1050.7; June 7, 1042; June 30, 1037; 

 July 17, 1033; August 22, 1021. During the same 

 period there was an increase of the density of juice 

 from the stalks and then in the leaves. Analyses of 

 different parts of the plant just at the period when the 

 leaves were forming, gave the following: 



As mentioned above, when the period of develop- 

 ment advances, the sugar percentage diminishes as 

 soon as the leaves appear, then remains constant. Then 

 comes a time after the seeds are formed that more sugar 

 is formed in the stems and leaves; little remains in 



