ITS HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT 89 



increase the production from year to year, with the 

 view of eventually making the industry independent 

 of foreign countries for its seed supply. 



IMPORTANCE OF DOMESTIC SUGAR-BEET SEED 

 PRODUCTION 



The increasing and now vital importance of pro- 

 ducing in the United States the sugar-beet seed for its 

 domestic requirements is recognized by the U. S. 

 Department of Agriculture and by Congress, as is 

 evidenced by the fact that the appropriation bill of 

 the Department of Agriculture now carries an annual 

 appropriation of $10,000 for experimental work with 

 sugar-beet seed. 



The views of the Department are set forth quite 

 fully in the Department's 1916 Year Book by Dr. 

 C. O. Townsend, Pathologist in Charge of Sugar- 

 Beet Investigations, Bureau of Plant Industry, from 

 which the following extracts are reproduced: 



Owing to the disturbed agricultural and trade conditions in 

 Europe since August, 1914, the importance of developing an 

 American beet-seed industry of sufficient magnitude to meet our 

 requirements has become imperative. The united efforts of the 

 Department of Agriculture and the Department of State, co- 



