98 SUGAR-BEET SEED 



that of three counties in the State of Ohio, is a fact 

 of more than ordinary significance. 



The production of one-half of the world's sugar is 

 dependent upon the dicta of a small group of men 

 in one country and upon the favorable or unfavorable 

 weather conditions which prevail over a few square 

 miles of territory. If for any reason this handful of 

 growers should decline to furnish seed, or should a 

 succession of unfavorable seasons ensue, the beet- 

 sugar industry of the world would be prostrated and 

 the world would be compelled to reduce its consump- 

 tion of sugar until seed could be produced elsewhere. 



Instances are not lacking where great manufacturing 

 industries are more or less dependent upon foreign 

 countries for some portion of their raw material, but 

 for the production of a great food necessity to be 

 dependent upon so few men and so small an area 

 is without a parallel. 



Selection in plant life dates back thousands of years, 

 but Vilmorin originated new and valuable methods 

 of selection, as a result of which the French seed for 

 many years was the best in the world; as late as 

 1837 Vilmorin's seed sold at 25 to 75 cents per pound 

 when seed grown in Germany sold at 6j cents per 

 pound. 



