340 
8v<jar-Beet Cultivation in Austria. 
quality, used for seed to sell ; and 4,154, or 23 per ceut., as 
third quality, and discarded. 
The cultivation of sugar-beet for seed has reached such a 
stage of perfection that it is easy to modify the root according 
to the needs or wishes of the producer ; and as a consequence a 
large number of growers are accustomed to produce for them- 
selves, either in whole or in part, the seed which they need. 
Seed-growing requires, however, so much attention, trouble, 
and organisation, that the seed is usually purchased from the 
firms of merchants who devote themselves to beet-seed cultivation. 
Austria has perhaps been rather behind France and Germany 
in its cultivation of special improved varieties of beet seed, and 
has been content to import seed from foreign nations. But 
there are a few scientific growers of beet for seed in Moi-avia 
who have a high reputation for their products, foremost amongst 
whom must be placed Chev. Em. von Proskowetz, Junr., of 
Kwassitz, and Herr Jirku, of Birnbaum. 
Sowing. 
The field in which beet is to be sown should, as already 
indicated, be ploughed in the autumn to the depth of from 
eight to ten inches. The plough in each furrow should be 
followed by a subsoiler, which will loosen the soil to the depth 
of about six inches more. Each field should thus have the soil 
prepared by thoroughly loosening it to the depth of from 
fourteen to sixteen inches.' The land being exposed through 
the winter becomes quite mellowed, and in the spring can be 
got ready by a simple preparation of the surface. This should 
be done by a thorough cultivating until the surface of the 
soil is reduced to perfect tilth. 
The season for sowing extends from the beginning of April 
to the first week in May. Sown too early in spring, the roots 
are very apt to run to seed during growth, especially if spring 
frosts should set in, and if the sowing be delayed too long, »the 
crop may not get fully ripe before it has to be taken up. The 
best time for sowing is considered in Moravia to be the middle 
of April (from April 10 to 20), when the thermometer should 
range between 50° and 60° ; for at this temperature the seed 
will germinate most surely and most rapidly. Under ordinaiy 
' In sonic of the better soils of Austria, as at 'Wiscliaii, which is situated 
in the wonderfully fertile valley of the Hanna, the soil is phnitihed with the 
stcnni-plough to the depth of fourteen or fifteen inches : the sub.-oiler being 
only used on lighter lands, where it is desired to avoid bringing up obnoxious 
matter from below. 
