PRODUCTION OP SUPERIOR SEED. 217 



seeds may be obtained in one year instead of two, as 

 by the early bud methods; furthermore, it is maintained 

 that there is a sort of refreshing influence of tlie beet 

 sap. Two varieties of beets have been created; these 

 are known as, first, rich in sugar (W. Z. R.); second, 

 rich in yield and sugar (W. E. R.). 



Experiments upon 10,000 beets, during 1896, were 

 to determine just what this Briem grafting meant. 

 Some of the beets were frpm seed obtained in the ordi- 

 nary way; others were the bud-grafted seed. Those 

 beets from the regular seed gave 53 per cent, as rich 

 ;n sugar and general characteristics as the parent beet; 

 15 per cent, of a superior quality, and 32 per cent, of an 

 inferior quality. On the other hand, the grafted beet 

 seeds gave J'j per cent, equal in quality to the parent; 

 17 per cent. of a superior quality, and only 6 per cent, of 

 an inferior quality. It is remarked that these results are 

 not only superior, but that they are much more rapid. 

 It is evident that great experience and observation are 

 necessary to carry this out; the Wohanka work has 

 now been going on for six years. It is to be noted 

 that the main difference between the new and old 

 method is, that by customary selections, the individual 

 characteristics are the first arrived at, and beyond 

 which there is no control, no way of preventing analyt- 

 ical errors or action of atavism. On the other hand, 

 the bud method i^ the starting point, after which ata- 

 vism has no influence upon the descendants, as they all 

 come from the same mother and must necessarily have 

 the same characteristics. The advantage of grafting 

 is, that seeds are obtained the same year, while by the 

 bud method, when used alone, the seeds can be 

 obtained only the second year. There is a "renewing 

 of the blood" by grafting. Such is a general outline 

 of what is clairfted by this well-known seed producer. 

 Beets from Leaves and Adhering Skin. 



The efiforts to produce beet seed without going 

 through the regular methods has led H. Briem to make 



