ITS HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT 13 



to character and richness, for it can supply but one- 

 tenth of the potassic and lime salts which are needed 

 for the seed; the balance is drawn from the soil. 



By scientific fertilizing, inferior soils frequently are 

 brought to such a state of productiveness that this 

 discriminating plant will thrive, but until such time is 

 reached, only the richer, and sometimes irregular sec- 

 tions of a field are devoted to mother beets, and the 

 poorer portions are devoted to other crops. 



As the rows of beets are made to run around oblong, 

 triangular and irregularly shaped patches of inferior 

 soil, the fields have the appearance of having been 

 planted in a very haphazard manner, but when one 

 examines the soil map, he discovers that the field is 

 planted in exact conformity with the map. 



Simply to "fertilize" the soil does not meet the re- 

 quirements. It must be " scientifically fertilized," else 

 the resultant seeds are more subject to the attack of 

 parasites and micro-mushroom ravages. 



In order to develop the plants as quickly as possible, 

 the soils are provided with ample quantities of phos- 

 phoric acid, potash, nitrogen, lime and magnesia. On 

 the seed farm of M. Legras, in Aisne, France, as noted 

 by Dr. Ware, were many different kinds and qualities 

 of soil, all of which eventually were brought to a state 



