2 SUGAR BEKT ^EED. 



of Vilmorin in 1775, in Russia during 1800, and sub- 

 sequently. Experiments under Conrad Adam were 

 carried on in Vienna in 1799. F. C. Archard, in 1786, 

 at his farm, experimented with not less than twenty- 

 two varieties of beets ; and, as a result of these observa- 

 tions, his book on the manufacture of beet sugar was 

 issued. Other authorities declare that it was brought 

 to Germany from Holland. In Austria it was certainly 

 known during the last century. To follow the 

 sugar beet through the various stages of its history 

 is almost an impossibility; but it was not until the i8th 

 century that a standard name was applied to this root; 

 its use at that period was almost entirely for feed- 

 ing purposes. 



Beet seed sold in 1837 for 25 to 75 cents per pound. 

 The early Vilmorin selection in France assumed a seri- 

 ous aspect in 1830; a few years after this, Ziemann of 

 Quedlinburg, Saxon}% followed the example of the 

 French. The Vilmorin method, based upon apparent 

 sugar percentages of pieces of beet in saline solutions, 

 was improved upon b}- the use of the polariscope for 

 exact sugar determinations. However, the real impe- 

 tus given to the whole question of amelioration of the 

 saccharine quality of sugar beets was largely due to 

 the Prussian fiscal laws. In Germany for many years 

 they did not hesitate to declare that the Vilmorin seed 

 was the best, and Professor Maercker placed it beyond 

 all others. This is made evident, for even as late as 

 1877 the Vilmorin Original sold for about 35 cents 

 per pound while the Quedlinburg was worth about 

 6J cents.* The Klein- Wanzleben, however, stood next 



*Aocorfling tn the "Oeut'snlip ZnolceriiKUiBirie." the prices of beet 

 seed on the German market in 1877 were : 



Vilmorin Original, 50 kgs 140 mark. s 



Vilmorin Amelioree, 50 kizs 28-36 marks 



Klein-Wanzleben, .50 kjrs 90 marks 



Electoral Kn an er 48 marks 



Imperial Knanev. 40-42 niarlts 



Quedlinhnre OriuiTinl 21-27 marks 



Commercial lS-2n marks 



