CHAPTER X. 

 Production of Superior Seed. 



One of the original methods for improving the 

 quahty of selected mothers, consists in furnishing such 

 roots with increased amounts of nutrients required for 

 the amelioration of the seed to be formed. A perfora- 

 tion is made in the root and this is filled with sugar, 

 starch, etc., or any nitric element needful for plant 

 development, with a view to seed production. In the 

 case of sugar beets the cavity may be filled with sand 

 and 50 per cent, pure sugar. Experiments show that 

 it does not matter how the sugar is supplied; this sub- 

 stance leads to seeds possessing hereditary principles, 

 from which may be grown beets rich in sugar. 



According to another rather strange method to 

 obtain beets very rich in sugar, the roots are to be 

 grown from selected seed raised in conservatories 

 heated artificially, and in which large quantities of car- 

 bonic acid gas are introduced. At night such green- 

 houses are to be lighted by gas or electricity. The 

 mothers, when selected, are to be planted and tended 

 in the usual manner. We may also mention the 

 Braune steam method. The steam is circulated through 

 pipes that are buried in the ground. Between the 

 rows are other pipes, which distribute carbonic acid. 

 During the night, electric lights are kept burning. 

 With the view to preventing a second growth due to 

 late rains, the beets may be covered by special glass 

 frames, such as are used in patch gardening; these do 

 not prevent a free circulation of air. 



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