1908.] 



Sunflower Seed. 



369 



The sunflower (Helianthus annuus, L.) is sometimes grown 

 in this country for th3 seed, which is very useful as food for 

 poultry. The yield of seeds may be 



Sunflowsr Saed. 8 cwts. per acre and upwards, and 

 the price quoted at Mark Lane for 

 English sunflower seed in May last was as follows : — 

 White, 17s. to 19s. per cwt. ; black, 13s. to 14s. ; and striped, 

 us. to 12s. Current prices, however, are is. lower for black 

 and striped seed, and 3s. to 4s. less for white seed. The supply 

 is believed to be small, though there is some demand for this 

 seed as a food for cage birds. In many European countries — 

 particularly in Russia, Hungary, Italy, and Germany — the 

 sunflower is cultivated for the oil, and the oil-cake left after 

 extracting the oil is used for cattle. The seed is also largely 

 eaten, either salted or roasted, in the towns and cities of 

 Russia, particularly at certain times of the year. 



The method of cultivation resembles that of maize, and the 

 following directions are given by Dr. H. W. Wiley, of the 

 United States Department of Agriculture : — 



" If the soil is not naturally fertile, liberal fertilisation 

 must be practised in order to secure large crops. The soil 

 should be prepared by careful ploughing, and the surface of the 

 ploughed soil should be reduced to a good tilth by the use of the 

 harrow. Sunflowers are best planted by a drill in rows from 

 3 to 3I ft. apart. In order to secure a good stand, the seeds 

 may be placed by the drill 2 or 3 in. apart ; but should they all 

 grow, at least half of them should be cut out when the plants 

 are thinned. The seeds should be planted deep enough to- 

 secure abundant moisture to germinate them ; from 2 to 3 in. 

 in depth when the soil is not too heavy will be found the best. 

 With heavy, stiff soils, which are likely to become very hard 

 on the surface after heavy rains, it is better not to plant the 

 seeds so deep. The seeds should be planted as early as possible 

 in the spring, as they endure very well a slight degree of cold. 

 After the plants are well formed they should be thinned so as 

 to stand at a distance of from 12 to 18 in. in the row. The 

 cultivation should be of the ordinary kind, mostly superficial 

 and sufficient to prevent the weeds from growing and to preserve 

 the moisture during periods of drought. When the production 

 of seed is sought, the best results are secured by limiting the 

 (3864) 2 A 



