216 



SUGAR BEET SEED. 



On the other hand, those roots with very high or long 

 necks are not desirable. At Grobers it is concluded 

 that the question is still in its experimental stage, and 

 that at least ten years will be required before practical 

 results from a commercial standpoint can be obtained. 



Numerous experiments in France, in planting 

 buds, show that roots of the same line are almost 

 identical in shape and in the formation of their leaves, 

 while the roots obtained keep well in a properly con- 

 structed silo during a period of many months. It must 

 never be lost sight of, however, that nitric fertilizers 

 should never be used alone; that under all circum- 

 stances superphosphates should be added. The objec- 

 tion to nitrogen in excess is, that it maintains the vege- 

 tative action for too long a period and retards very 

 considerably the maturity of the beet; under which cir- 

 cumstances, there is danger of a second growth, with 

 a corresponding loss of sugar. 



In America, in 1891, the Nebraska Experiment 

 Station took up the question of production of beets 

 from buds. " High-grade beets were selected and 

 buds started in a greenhouse. After rooting, they were 

 removed from the greenhouse and planted in the gar- 

 den.'" The beet obtained was not very satisfactory in 

 appearance, nor sufficiently long to yield much sugar. 

 These experiments were continued again later; the 

 roots obtained from buds were planted as mothers; 

 most of them failed to produce seed, certain diseases 

 and insects being contended with. Other experiments 

 from buds were most satisfactory. 



Grafting Method. 



It is claimed that by the Wohanka method 

 of selection, by which beet buds are grafted on 

 beets, there need never be the slightest danger 

 of atavism, as all descendants come from a common 

 parent. The advantage of the grafting method is, that 



