CHAPTER III. 



Requirements of Sugar Beet Seed. 



Preliminary Remarks. — If one were to read all 

 that has been written on the question of sugar-beet 

 seed, only a general idea could be formed of what care 

 and science, combined with experience, are required 

 not only to produce a seed of a given quality, but to 

 retain its high standard of excellence, which competi- 

 tion compels a seed grower to maintain. Some years 

 ago, it \\as claimed that the soil of France was not 

 suited to the cultivation of superior beets, the Germans 

 having been supposed to have had a monopoly in this 

 respect. Since 1884, circumstances have changed. The 

 new law, now in existence for over fourteen years, has 

 encouraged farmers to devote their energies to beets 

 rich in sugar. This, as may be imagined, gave- an 

 impetus to the problem of superior sugar-beet seed 

 production, and at present among the best customers 

 are those who were previously so much dreaded. The 

 selection of beets with the view to their amelioration in 

 sugar percentage, is a branch of agriculture for v^'hich 

 France can justly claim priority. While other coun- 

 tries have followed' in the paths shown them, the 

 methods have remained the same. The water proc- 

 ess for sugar determination, so generally adopted both 

 in Germany and France, is also of French origin. It 

 is not claimed here that all French seed is superior to 

 all German varieties, for such is not the case; inferior 

 seed exists in France, while in Germany much remains 

 to be done, there being in both countries numerous 

 seed growers who are thoroughly ignorant of the ele- 

 mentary requirements for success. 



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