68 SUGAR-BEET SEED 



this country. California has the highest per cent sugar in the beet 

 of any state where they are grown commercially, 18.54 per cent 

 while her tonnage is 10.72." 



SINGLE-GERM BEET BALLS 



In forming beet seed nature seems to have been 

 perverse, in that while she compels us to plant several 

 seeds in a place and thus starts the beetlets in cluster, 

 they cannot be grown to advantage in clusters. We 

 plant four kernels of corn in a hill, but the beet re- 

 quires that its nearest neighbor shall be 8 inches 

 removed. The several peas which grow in a pod 

 easily are separated and can be planted singly, but the 

 several beet-seed germs which grow in a beet-ball 

 cannot be separated. 



The ball in which beet seed is incased is a hard, 

 woody, fibrous substance and was placed there by 

 nature for the purpose of allowing moisture, etc., to 

 enter by osmosis in proper proportions so as to reg- 

 ulate the germination of the plant. 



These balls contain from i to 7 distinct seeds or 

 germs, with an average germination of 3^ plants 

 per ball. The consequence is that in order to leave 

 but one plant every eight inches in the row, when 



