370 
FREDERICK J. PRITCHARD 
type corresponds to its numerical proportion of the number of plants in 
each group. 
As shown by the table, the cylindrical roots were lowest in per- 
centage but highest in quantity of sugar. The conical form had the 
highest average percentage, but when the probable errors are con- 
sidered there is no real difference between it and the pyriform and 
napiform types. 
The relative merits of three different types of crown, viz., flat, 
rounded and conical, were also determined and the results summar- 
ized in table VI. 
Beets having flat crowns were heaviest and contained a slightly 
higher percentage of sugar than roots possessing conical crowns, 
which is contrary to expectation, as the larger roots, as a rule, contain 
the lower percentage — a difference of 35 grams in weight being equiva- 
lent to a difference of about i-io of one percent sugar (cf. fig. I). 
The conical crown, therefore, appears to be a detrimental character 
as it is correlated with both a low percentage and a small quantity 
of sugar. 
Deep, spiral root-furrows are said to denote contraction or density 
of the root and hence a high percentage of sugar. In order to de- 
termine the value of depth and direction respectively, the data for 
each character were tabulated separately and summarized in table VII. 
There appears to be no correlation between direction of furrows 
and percentage or quantity of sugar. It is different, however, in 
regard to depth of furrows. Shallow furrows are apparently another 
character of relatively low breeding value. Deep furrows, on the 
contrary, are correlated with a large quantity of sugar, and roots 
possessing them show no diminution in percentage of sugar when 
compared with somewhat smaller roots with shallow furrows. 
Considerable difference of opinion prevails regarding the most 
desirable growing habit of beet foliage, i. e., direction assumed by the 
leaves. Leaves rising above the ground and having an approximately 
right-angled exposure to the sun's rays are generally preferred, but 
the flat or rosette type also has its adherents. In table VIII of the 
present paper, three types of foliage are compared; erect, semi-erect, 
and flat. 
As shown in the table, the flat or rosette type is correlated with 
heavy weight and high percentage of sugar, while the erect type in- 
dicates low percentage. Although the difference in percentage is 
