:i38 



SUGAR BBET SEED. 



imported, as there was no encouragement to cultivate 

 superior beets. The roots then contained 7 to 9 per 

 cent, sugar, but in 1885-86, the percentage was 9.2 to 

 11.2 and is now 13.3 to 15. Up to 1884 the Frencli 

 producers had, in a large measure, been neglecting 

 their methods of selection. When it was necessary to 

 resume their position held in the past, whole districts 

 were abandoned, owing to the influence of hybrids that 

 were freely cultivated. The growers have now regained 

 the ground lost in the production of superior seed, but 

 one fact still remains, the importation continues. The 

 districts near Lille and Valenciennes, as early as 1846 

 (the fertile plains of Cysoing and Pont a Marcq), were 

 devoted to beets; now about 5000 acres are employed 

 for special sugar-beet-seed production. 



Old Beet Seed and Wastes Utilization. 



As the demand for seed some years was not equal 

 to the supply, the European grower had in stock a 

 quantity of seed that he could not dispose of unless it 

 was by mixing, and thus cheat his customers. This 

 would not be of so frequent occurrence if some means 

 could be proposed for the utilization of old seed. The 

 most practical suggestion is to feed it to cattle, which 

 has been done on many farms, and has met with con- 

 siderable success. 



Pagnoul gives the comparative analyses of hay 

 and beet seed as follows: 



■Water 



Amylaceous substances 

 Nitrogenous " 



Non-nitrogenous " 

 ratty " 



Extractive " 



Raw cellulose 



Ash 



Phosphoric Acid 



