CHAPTER XII. 



Beet Seed Production in France. 

 . A very strange fact relating to the statistical data 

 of such an important question as beet seed in Europe, 

 is that there has been little or nothing published. It is 

 estimated, however, that the consumption of beet seed 

 reaches 35,000 tons, produced in France, Germany, 

 Russia and Austria. There is considerable export of 

 German seed to France, and France sends to Germany, 

 and elsewhere. Russia of late years has brought about 

 some changes in the German export, which once was 

 3500 tons. In France, there are 200,000 to 230,000 

 hectares (500,000 to 600,000 acres) devoted to sugar- 

 beet cultivation; there is needed for this at least 6000 

 tons of beet seed (13,440,000 lbs.), to produce which 

 demands an area of 2200 hectares (5500 acres), which 

 would represent i per cent, of lands devoted to beets 

 cultivated for the sugar factories. 



The exports and imports of beet seed to and from 

 France during several years, are as follows: 



The French growers were thus protected by a duty 



"of a fraction less than three cents per pound, but this 



has been found to be too small, and the low duty has 



since been changed. Before 1884 there were no seeds 



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