44 



sufficient provision for the insects, so that at least 

 one plant will remain and the harvest be thus 

 assured. However there is one inconvenience, that 

 is, the young roots often get entwined together and 

 on being thinned out, they are liable to the danger 

 of being uncovered. 



But I repeat that hand sowing is suitable only 

 for restricted operations at the best, and the use of 

 mechanical sowers is a necessity, if beet culture is 

 to be at all carried on, on a reasonable footing. At 

 any rate the work done by the machine is more 

 regular than that done by hand, even when most 

 carefully performed. The sower always deposits the 

 seed at an equal depth, which is very important in 

 regard to the regularity of the crop, and further its 

 use is more economical. 



A great number of mechanical sowers more or 

 less perfect are in use. 



A fe\v days after putting in the seed, when the 

 land is sufficiently dry it is passed over with the 

 roller. The top soil is rendered smooth so that it cov- 

 ers the plant better, which insures the success of the 

 sowing. The roller again makes the surface more 

 even and consequently the isolation of the plants is 

 better secured and each root can thus sprout sepa- 

 rately. 



Sowing by machine is generally in uninterrupted 

 lines, that is to say the seed is deposited all along 

 the line. 



When the seed has missed in certain places and 



