Scrub the beets gently. Put them into a large pot, and cover them with boiling water. Return the water to a boil, and boil the beets 15 to 35 minutes, depending on their size, until they are just tender.

Drain the beets and cover them with cold water. When they are cool, trim them and slip off their skins. If they are large, halve or quarter them -- or, if you like, slice all the beets into 1/4-inch-thick rounds.

Meanwhile, wash 8 pint or 4 quart canning jars and fill with hot water until needed. Prepare lids as manufacturer directs.

Tie the cinnamon, allspice and cloves in a spice bag or cheesecloth. Combine the sugars, pickling salt, vinegar and water in a nonreactive pot, and add the spice bag. Bring the contents to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Reduce the heat and simmer the liquid, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

While the liquid simmers, pack the beets into the pint or quart jars. If you've sliced the beets, pack the slices loosely. Pour the hot liquid over the beets, leaving 1/2-inch head space.

Wipe jar rim with a clean, damp cloth. Attach lid. Fill and close remaining jars. Process both pints and quarts in a boiling-water canner for 30 minutes (35 minutes at 1,000 to 6,000 feet; 40 minutes over 6,000 feet).

Store the cooled jars in a cool, dry, dark place for at least 3 weeks before eating the beets