140 SUGAR BEET SEED. 



put off as long as possible the cutting of green stalks, 

 as they mature better on the beet proper. The cutting 

 gang is followed by another, who collect the stems, or 

 stalks, on the ground and tie them into bundles. They 

 are stacked vertically upon the field and left to dry. 



Practical experience shows that this drying is 

 more complete when the bundles face the north, thus 

 taking advantage of northerly winds. When the drying 

 is sufficiently complete, several weeks being often 

 necessary, they are taken to special sheds. The appear- 

 ance of stacks is shown in engraving (Fig. 48). 



The writer thought it of interest to be on the 

 Legras farm prior to harvesting. The sight of the 

 fields is never to be forgotten, it being very unique, and 

 differing from any other crop known to the farmer; it 

 is unlike wheat, corn, or cereals in general, leaving, as 

 it were, open spaces, through which light penetrates, 

 so that the ground can be seen between many plants 

 or stalks at the same time. The field seems to 

 form a uniform whole, consisting of a mass of 

 green, soft, and velvety substance, the centres at reg- 

 ular intervals being clearly defined. The clusters of 

 seed upon the stalks were like gems distributed in 

 myriads, reflecting the. rays of the sun. The stalks 

 appeared to be so loaded with seed that they were bent 

 over toward the ground, those of one mother having 

 joined hands with its neighbor, apparently asking for 

 support. M. Sagnier, in the Journal de I' Agriculture, 

 says that during his visit to Besny he counted eighteen 

 to twenty-three stalks per mother. 



As an example of the amount of seed that roots 

 may yield, five clusters were counted, the average seed 

 being one pound per root. In regard to the mother 

 planting, it is interesting to note that it always follows 

 a crop of beets. Upon general principles, if it is simply 

 desired to produce beet seed by ordinary process, the 

 question of economy in space upon the fields is of sec- 



