SOILS FOK SEED PRODUCTION. 123 



This is evidently very misleading, for if such were the 

 case, the leading seed producers would in Germany, 

 France, etc., be found in many sections of the country, 

 when, in reality, they centre around certain districts 

 of Saxony, at Quedlinburg, or in the northern part of 

 France, at Laon, for example. Furthermore, in Sax- 

 ony the principal seed farms are on hills and never on 

 bottom lands; so that it is only in very exceptional 

 cases where ordinary beet lands should be devoted to 

 seed production. Those soils which have yielded beets 

 which were attacked by insects are most objectionable, 

 either for sowing of Elite seed or transplanting selected 

 mothers, etc.; the same attacks or ravages would 

 necessarily continue, thus destroying all prospects 

 of success. 



There are many other conditions in question of 

 location of beet farms; for example, it must be miles 

 away from anyone cultivating beets of any kind, or any 

 plant that is likely to give a pollen which might form 

 a hybrid with beets. It should be well protected 

 against the winds. However, in this issue we differ 

 with Knauer, who claims that winds in some cases are 

 desirable, as they carry off the loose seed, leaving 

 spaces for the remaining seed, which results in a 

 stronger grain for those still adhering to the stalk. 

 (There is in some centres a special money system of 

 insurance against such losses through winds, etc). The 

 location should be such as to receive directly the solar 

 rays, meaning a southern exposure. 



It has been frequently noticed that soils shaded 

 by trees do not permit mothers to grow in a satisfac- 

 tory manner; hence, their inferior yield in seed under 

 such conditions. The soil should not be too damp, as 

 this latter state would make the growth too hardy. 

 Under no circumstances should the location be near a 

 town or village. With a proper soil, the mothers 

 develop without much care when once started. They 



