190 SUGAR BEET SEED. 



ible. They are then ready for sowing. If the weather 

 does not permit such preparation, they are in the 

 meantime placed in thin layers on marble slabs in a 

 cool place. The object of this is to retard sprouting. 

 The seed, when sown, appear above ground in about 

 five days, if the temperature is favorable. Evidently 

 under these conditions, the plantlets are sufficiently 

 large to resist the ravages of insects. As regards the 

 sowing of sprouted seed, it may be of interest to call 

 attention to the slight depth, not over one-third of an 

 inch, at which it should be placed in the soil. The 

 farmer should keep before his eyes the following 

 advice, given by the editor of The Sugar Beet : " Plant 

 your seed early; use your own judgment regarding the 

 possibility of a frost. If the latter has not to be con- 

 tended with, the resulting roots will be much benefited, 

 as they will have had a longer period of growth, thus 

 permitting their complete maturity. If a cold snap 

 should destroy your early crop, sow the second time, 

 immediately; the loss then will be of your seed only. 

 If this precaution be not taken to save the cents, you 

 will lose the dollars." 



The dangers to the entire crop from a continued 

 dry spell, subsequent to sowing, are less for prepared 

 seed than for that planted by the customary methods. 

 In one case, the soil during the early growth, say for 

 at least ten days, is sufficiently moist to permit the 

 ascending sprout to appear above ground ; while in the 

 other, often intervals of eighteen days will result in a 

 surface crust which the young sprout cannot penetrate. 



Beet Seed Sowing for Sugar Factories. 



The time of sowing depends upon the country. 

 Where the seeds are planted in Europe this is done 

 between the middle of April and May, when possible, in 

 March. This period gives the beets plenty of time for 

 their development before harvesting. In California the 



