Production of Sugar-Beet Seed 219 
seed-ball contains a number of germs, there are often 
more sprouts than seed-balls. It will be noted that of 
the three samples of foreign seed, not one was equal to 
the home-grown seed in germinating power. 
The climate of the irrigated section of the West seems 
well adapted to the production of sugar-beet seed. The 
use of irrigation to control the soil moisture and the warm 
dry weather during the season when seed is growing make 
an almost ideal combination. In the sixteen years since 
the Utah Experiment Station began raising sugar-beet 
seed, there has not been a single failure. 
TYPES OF BEETS 
America has produced no distinct varieties or types of 
sugar-beets. An examination of almost any commercial 
field reveals a great diversity in shape and manner of 
growth. Some roots are long and of small diameter; 
others are short and turnip-like. The tops vary from 
erect plants with big leaves to plants with small leaves 
spreading out near the ground. These conditions show 
a great admixture of strains. 
All of the sugar-beets belong to the same botanical 
species, Beta vulgaris. The differences have arisen from 
selection of special characters and have given rise to 
variation in Shape, color, and size of beet, amount and 
manner of growth in foliage, as well as in sugar-content 
and yield. Selections were always made to improve the 
beet, and these selections resulted in considerable variation 
in appearance. Trade names have been given to the 
various types. Among the most common are: Vilmorin, 
