54 BULLETIN 721, U. S. DEPAETMENT OF AGRICULTTJEE. 



erection of a mill. If this point is kept in mind, some of the financial 

 losses and disappointments which investors have experienced in the 

 past will be avoided. 



SUGAR-BEET SEED. 



One of the most important factors influencing beet-sugar produc- 

 tion is that of seed. Not only must there be an adequate supply of 

 seed to plant the necessary acreage for each sugar factory, but the 

 seed must be of high grade, that is, it must be capable of germinating 

 so that a good stand will be produced, and it must be capable of pro- 

 ducing beets of satisfactory 3deld and quality. The present varieties 

 of sugar-beet seed are apparently very much mixed, as indicated by 

 commercial fields in all parts of the beet area. Efforts are being 

 made at each of the beet-seed stations of the Office of Sugar-Plant 

 Investigations to produce distinct strains of high quality for selection 

 and planting. In connection with this work we are endeavoring to 

 increase the yield and quality of the seed and to meet the present 

 emergency by increasing the acreage of beet seed. 



Imported seed. — ^Until within the last four years practically all 

 sugar-beet seed planted in the United States was imported from 

 Europe. This imported seed consisted of more than 20 so-called 

 varieties, many of these varieties being simply strains bearing the 

 name of the growers or the locality where the seed was produced. 

 There appears to be but little difference in results between the varie- 

 ties imported. More seems to depend upon soil and climatic condi- 

 tions and the cultural methods used in growing the crop than upon 

 the particular variety of seed used. Under present conditions Russia 

 is the only foreign country from which beet seed in quantity may be 

 obtained, and considerable difficulty is experienced in getting suf- 

 ficient seed from that source. 



Eome-grownri seed. — ^In recent years efforts have been made to 

 produce American strains of sugar-beet seed and to produce them in 

 commercial quantities in this country. In 1917 about 5,000 acres of 

 beet seed were grown, yielding about 55,000 sacks of seed, while a 

 still larger crop of American-grown seed is in prospect for 1918. This 

 supply of home-grown seed will do little more than care for the in- 

 creased number of new sugar-beet areas that have developed during 

 the last two years. Even with an increased home production, we 

 must continue to look to foreign countries for a considerable part of 

 our beet-seed supply. The importations, therefore, must continue to 

 amount to more than 100,000 sacks, of 110 pounds each, if our pres- 

 ent acreage of beets is maintained. In order to make our beet-sugar 

 industry safe we should produce annually from 16,000 to 20,000 acres 

 of seed to supply our present mills. This acreage of seed must neces- 

 sarily be increased from year to year in order to care for its expan- 

 sion if the American beet-sugar industry is to be made safe and 

 permanent. 



