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Show John H. Schmutz Tells Rotary Club of Beet Seed Growing in Dixie John H. Schmutz, who was the guest speaker at the last regular luncheon of the Rotary club, gave an interesting talk on the growing of Sugar Beet seed from the farmer's side of the picture. He was introduced- by Milton E. Moody, who explained that since the club, had heard about this subject from the Sugar Beet company's side, he thought that it would be a good id'ea to get the farmer's view point. Mr. Schmutz gave a brief resume re-sume of the history of the growing grow-ing of the seed here in this district. He told how the Sugar Beet seed company had trouble getting farmers to try growing the crop to see if it could be grown satisfactorily and how three of them finnaty gave it a try. This first crop, while not I up to the standard required, gave j promise of what could be produced, pro-duced, and so the next year the acreage was greatly increased. This second year crop again was not up to the standard of fertility that is necessary. Poor growing conditions and other things were blamed, but the company com-pany and local farmers are now satisfied that it was mainly the fault of poor soil and improper handling of the crop. Mr. Schmutz pointed out that for years local farmers had grown crops on their land without paying pay-ing any attention to rotation of crops or the proper fertilizing with the consequence that the soil was run down to the point that it wouldn't 'produce Sugar Beet seed satisfactorily. According Accord-ing to Mr. Schmutz, one Of the best things that will come Out of the growing of Beet Seed will be the awakening of the farmers to the necessity of taking care of their land. "The great danger at the present pre-sent time," said Mr. Schmutz, "is that all farmers won't take the proper precautions to get rid of the "wild beets" that are now growing from the seed that has been dropped in the Harvesting Har-vesting and growing of each of the former year's crops. Officials Offi-cials of the company are doing everything in their power to impress im-press on local people the danger of this "wild beet crop." They have pointed out that unless a clean seed is grown that comes up to the standard required by growers of sugar beets, that local farmers will soon lose out on thisi valuable cash crop. It Is up to all of the growers of this district to exercise every precaution precau-tion or we will all be out," concluded con-cluded Mr. Schmutz. |