76 SUGAR-BEET SEED 



dropped in the rows, one inch or two inches apart and 

 the superfluous plants could be removed with a hoe 

 at the farmers' leisure, without injury to the remaining 

 plants. To insure sufficient power to break through 

 a crusted surface in sections where showers were 

 likely and the soil was caked, oats could be drilled in 

 with the beet seed, or the crust could be broken with 

 the proper agricultural implements. 



Inasmuch as the average yield in the United States 

 is but 10 tons per acre, while a perfect stand of 2-pound 

 beets planted in rows 18 inches apart and thinned to 

 8 inches, would yield 43 tons per acre, the chance for 

 materially increasing the tonnage is very great. 



The suggestion met with no encouragement from 

 sugar men; they did not believe it possible to breed 

 a single-germ beet-ball. But the moment the writer 

 broached the subject to Secretary of Agriculture Wilson, 

 he became enthusiastic over it, declaring that it not 

 only was possible, but probable, and within twenty- 

 four hours, a bevy of Department clerks was at work 

 sorting out single-germ beet-balls from commercial 

 seed. 



The only mark on beet-balls which indicates the 

 presence of seed is an almost imperceptible flattening 

 directly over each seed pocket. The entire surface 



