THE BEET 
Material 
Two new beets for each pupil; pins; knives; pieces of white blotter about 
3x3 inches. (If pupils work in pairs, one beet for each will answer. Let 
every second child cut his beet horizontally and give half to his companion, 
from whom he receives in return a half cut longitudinally.) 
Laboratory Work 
i 
1. Examine the beet and observe its color and shape ; 
the long crimson leaf stems; the long tap root. 
2. Look for marks or spots on the beet and find the fine 
brown root hairs growing out of them. 
3. Has the beet a smell? Would you call this smell 
sweet? Pungent? Earthy? 
4. Has the beet a pinch-sound? Be careful not to mis- 
take the rattling of the leaf stems for the pinch- 
sound. 
Knock the beet on the desk and listen to the sound. 
Now guess from this and the pinch test whether 
the beet will be soft and juicy or hard when you 
cut it open. 
Look at the /eaves and leaf stems; what is the color 
of each? Can you see the veins in the leaf plainly? 
Why? 
6. Hold a leaf up to the light and look at the veins; do 
101 
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