188 SUGAE BEET SEED. 



age farmer. We believe, all facts considered, that if seed 

 be steeped in equal volumes of water and urine for 

 about thirty hours, then piled up on the floor and cov- 

 ered with defecation scums, satisfactory results can be 

 obtained. The addition of a few drops of mineral oil 

 to keep ofi insects, may have its advantages. The 

 effect of the urine appears to stimulate the growth of 

 the leaves; however, the question is not at present 

 entirely settled. 



The preparations existing on the market for the 

 stimulation of germination, quality of roots, etc., are, 

 on the whole, very worthless, but are interesting from 

 a scientific point of view. Alany claim that the 

 preparation of seed results in a decrease in the saccha- 

 rine percentage of the resulting roots; with urine the 

 reduction is 0.4; potassic carbonate, 0.25; a mixture of 

 saltpeter and potassic carbonate, 0.5. On the other 

 hand, Russian experiments show that there is an 

 increase of 0.4 per cent, with superphosphate and an 

 increase of 1.20 by the use of sodic nitrate in 

 the preparation. 



The Dippe prepared seed attracted some attention, 

 but from experiments of Breim it was discovered that 

 the preparation was ammonia sulphate and a phos- 

 phate; the latter used to furnish plant food as soon as 

 the sprouts appeared. The Hodek method was to 

 steep the seeds in warm water 30 to 40 degrees C, and 

 adding 2 per cent, phenic acid; such seed must be soon 

 planted to avoid complications. 



Experiments with other methods of preparing the 

 seed are most interesting, viz.: Covering them with a 

 weak solution of glue, and putting them into a fertilizer, 

 so that the latter adhered to the outer surface of the 

 grain. There can be no doubt but that this process 

 diminishes the number of germinating seed and retards 

 germination in general. The complete covering of the 

 seed with an artificial fertilizer results in an increased 



