226 



acid (Acidum carholkum liquidiim crudum lOO %) or the more expensive, 

 pure crystallized acid in 3 hi. water. To test the acid's desired solubility, 0.5 

 grams should be shaken thoroughly in one litre of water; this should dis- 

 solve in from 5 to 10 minutes. When the sterilizing solution is ready, 

 the seeds are poured into it and stirred about repeatedly and vigor- 

 ously in the course of the next few hours. Then the seed is pressed down 

 with weighted boards so that it remains entirely covered by the solution. 

 After about 20 hours it is taken out and spread in a thin layer in an airy 

 place and stirred often with a rake. As soon as it is sufficiently dry it can 

 be planted with a drill, but it may lie for some time, when completely dr}% 

 without being injured. 



If it is desirable to use the sterilizing solution several times, it is neces- 

 sary only to replace the liquid lost by pouring in the needed quantity of a 

 stock solution. However, considering the cheapness of the material, it is 

 well not to use the solution too often^. 



Instead of sterilization, the coating of the seed with calcium carbonate 

 seems to us to be advantageous. 



But the main thing is to work the soil, for even the most carefully 

 handled seed, found to be faultless in the germinating tests, can become dis- 

 eased. Hiltner, in his above-mentioned work, gives some suggestions in this 

 connection which are well worth consideration. Up to the present in trade, 

 the quality of the seed has been tested according to its behavior in the seed 

 bed, by means of a suitable method. It is now seen, that the number of 

 diseased seedlings increases, the longer the seed is left in the seed bed. Ex- 

 periments show that if, for example, the seedlings are taken from the sand 

 seed bed on the 9th day, often more than ten times as many are found to be 

 diseased as when taken out on the 6th day. To this it should be added that 

 if the seeds lie close to each other the mutual infection is considerable. Be- 

 sides this, the number of diseased seedlings differs greatly, depending upon 

 whether the seed was soaked or not and whether distilled water, water 

 free from calcium, or Avater containing calcium, was used for the soaking. 

 If finally it is taken into consideration that the constitution of the soil de- 

 cides the subsequent behavior of the seedlings, it will be concluded that the 

 methods at present used for judging of the quality of the seed give no pro- 

 tection and no standard for beet seed. In order to obtain an insight into the 

 germinating power, the best seeds will have to be tested in as many germi- 

 nating seed beds as possible and with different methods-. The best germinat- 

 ing results, however, in no way give a guarantee as to rootblight. This depends 

 upon whether the micro-organisms present in the dried blossoms, containing 

 the seeds, find an opporttinity of so developing in the soil that they can attack 

 the young seedlings. 



1 Wilfarth, H., and Wimmer, G., Die Bekampfung des Wurzelbrandes der Riiben 

 durch Samenbeizung. Zeitschr. d. Vereins d. Deutschen Zuckerindustrie, Vol. 50, 

 Part 529. 



2 For the difference in germination of the seed treated in the same way but 

 sown in sand and in soil, compare the reports by Marek in the year Book of the 

 German Agricultural Society, (.lahrb. d. Deutsch. Landwirtsch. Ges. 1892.) 



