52 SUGAR-BEET SEED 



8oo-acre farm in that vicinity, began growing several 

 hundred acres of beets for the factory. 



Morrison had been growing vegetable seed for a 

 number of years and in 1899 he siloed some mother 

 beets of several different varieties. In 1900 he pro- 

 duced a few hundred pounds of beet seed. The re- 

 sults obtained from the various brands of seed experi- 

 mented with, indicated that the Klein Wanzleben 

 Original would bring the best results, and on this 

 variety Morrison concentrated his work. As with 

 the Government experiments in Nebraska ten years 

 before, Morrison had no high-priced, pedigreed elite 

 seed to breed from, but began his work with ordinary 

 commercial seed. 



In order to encourage the enterprise, the Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture purchased, tested, and distributed 

 considerable quantities of the Morrison seed. The 

 results secured were flattering. Morrison increased 

 his plantings and in 1903 produced 35 tons of seed, 

 and siloed a million " mothers " to be planted the fol- 

 lowing spring. 



To determine the relative germinating value of 

 foreign and domestic seed, the Department of Agri- 

 culture tested 9 brands of foreign and 4 brands of 

 domestic seed. Among the foreign seed tested was 



