PREPARING SEED BEFORE SOWIXii 



203 



the rootlet. It must never be overlooked that these 

 transformations cannot occur unless the plant be sup- 

 plied with iron. We all know, also, that with the 

 absence of light the chlorophyll pigment is not formed. 

 It is interesting to follow the plantlet from its very first 

 appearance above ground. 



Growth of the Planted Seed. 



The seed of the sugar beet, if placed in the ground 

 imder favorable conditions (heat, air and moisture), 



germinates; the outer or harder portion becomes soft- 

 ened, and thus permits the penetrating of the descend- 

 ing root, which shoots in a given direction until it 

 reaches O (see Fig. 6o), from which point the ascend- 

 ing root becomes apparent. The latter diverges at an 

 angle of about 15 degrees, while the former continues 

 in its downward course, the growth upward corre- 

 sponding to it. If the depth, H (Fig. 61), at which 



