68 



Sugar Beet Growing. 



[Apr., 



drilling and the second immediately after singling. The applica- 

 tion of the manures in this way should give the best results, for. 

 it allows time for the necessary chemical actions in the soil, and 

 by the time the seeds have germinated the plant food has become 

 available. Continental farmers consider that the early sowing 

 of mineral manures is not associated with loss. 



Seeds and Sowing. — Many varieties of sugar beet are avail- 

 able to the grower, but, as a rule, seed that is foreign to the 

 district is planted. Before 1911 most of the seed that was used 

 in both Holland and Belgium was obtained from French growers, 

 but important factors sent the ti'ade into German hands. The 

 German merchants sold their seed with guarantees of minimum 

 germinating capacity, true variety, and minimum sugar per- 

 centage, and these guarantees served to capture the trade. 



Formerly each farmer cultivated that variety which he fancied 

 most, but recently a different system has been instituted. The 

 farmer purchases his seed from the factory that buys his roots, 

 and this ensures that each factory is dealing with only those 

 varieties which it can most satisfactorily handle, as well as 

 assuring it of a definite supply of roots of uniform character and 

 variety. At the moment great care is needed in the importation 

 of Continental seed, for there is a general complaint among the 

 farmers of the Lov/ Countries of seed adulteration. 



Before sowing, the Dutch farmers of Zeeland treat the seed 

 with a 2 per cent, solution of copper sulphate. It is thoroughly 

 wetted on a stone floor, piled in heaps, and covered with a cloth 

 soaked in the solution. It is allowed to remain for 12 or 15 hours, 

 and then spread and air dried. This treatment, it is considered, 

 reduces the loss of seed through attacks by the wireworm. 



The drilling of the seed begins as early in April as weather 

 permits, and is usually completed about the middle of May. 

 About 18 or 20 lb. of seed per acre is sown in rows front 14 to 

 IG inches apart. It is never sown more than f inch in depth, 

 and if the ground be damp J inch deep is quite sufficient. 



Intertillage. — The intertillage of the beet crop differs in 

 nowise from that given to the root crop in Britain. Too much 

 stress cannot be laid upon the necessity of keeping the crop 

 clean, for on this its success is largely dependent. When four 

 leaves appear the singling is commenced, and the plants are 

 left 14 inches apart in the rows. Immediately singling is com- 

 pleted the second dose of nitrogenous manure is applied, and 

 this serves to prevent that check to the growth of the plant 

 which often follows rough usage. 



