102 The Colorado Experiment Station 
chyma are richer in sugar than those in which large water storage 
cells predominate. 
It must not be assumed from this that it would be possible to 
find conspicuous differences in the anatomical structure of beets 
varying one or two percent in sugar. Furthermore, a certain micro¬ 
scopical appearance is not to be associated with a given sugar con¬ 
tent. 
The question here is, ‘‘What is the effect of excessive nitrates 
in the soil upon the structure of the beet? Beets grown in a nitre- 
rich soil were compared, part for part, with beets grown in an ordi¬ 
nary soil. Microscopic sections of material imbedded in paraffin 
were cut to a thickness of about io microns. It was found very 
essential that corresponding parts of the abnormal and normal beets 
be compared. The most consistent and marked differences were 
shown by sections of the star, for here the bundles are closer to¬ 
gether. Inasmuch as the niter beets have their sugar content de¬ 
pressed, as shown by chemical analysis, it was anticipated that this 
condition would modify their anatomy in the way mentioned above. 
Such was found to be the case. 
A glance at the cut surfaces of a nitre and normal beet shows 
marked differences; the nitre beet has a glassy, watery appearance; 
the normal beet is yellower and not so watery. Hand razor sec¬ 
tions of the abnormal beet slice off readily; while with the normal 
beet, there is a tendency for the sections to be shreddy and roll up 
under the razor edge. Examination with the naked eye of a normal 
beet cut in cross-section shows the star to be solid and compact; 
the small-celled parenchyma tissue forms an unbroken whitish band 
on either side of each ring of vessels; this band is wider on the out¬ 
side of the circle of vessels than on the inner side. 
In comparing this section with one from a corresponding part 
of a nitre beet, it will be seen that in the abnormal individual, the 
star is not as compact; the rays of vessels of the star are longer and 
further apart, being separated by large parenchyma cells. The 
band of whitish tissue, formed of small parenchyma cells, is not as 
wide in proportion to water cells; furthermore, this band is not as 
solid, but is broken by strips of large water-storing cells. (See 
Plate V.) This means that the amount of sugar storing tissue 
about each group of vessels is reduced, comparatively. It is very 
evident to one examining with the naked eye, cross sections of two 
beets, one abnormal—a nitre beet—the other normal, that the latter 
has a finer anatomy; that the ratio of small sugar-storing cells to 
large water-storing cells is higher; that it has more the structure of 
a beet rich in sugar. 
Comparative microscopic examination of the beets bear out the 
facts as above stated. The normal beet has a greater proportion of 
