28 DISSEMINATION OV PARASITIC FUNGI 



goes out of any adhering country, the certificate with it must state that it is 

 free from such diseases (mentioned by name) as are on the list of the country 

 to which the plants are going, and which could be in the consignment. 



No country may put on its list common diseases already widely distri- 

 buted, or those whose ordinary host plants are absent from the country. The 

 diseases mentioned must be (1) of an epidemic character, (2) destructive oi 

 at least very harmful, and (3) easily disseminated by living plants or parts of 

 living plants. 



The Convention does not apply to the vine,* to seeds, to edible tubers, 

 bulbs, rhizomes, and roots, to fruits and vegetables, and to roots and produce 

 of field cultivation. Living plants of any kind are also excluded from control 

 if intended for scientific institutions authorised by Government to introduce 

 plants for scientific study. It is clear, therefore, that no certificate is required 

 by the Convention with imports of any of these. 



What is not clear is whether a certificate is required with imports of wild 

 plants or plants not coming fiom a nursery. Article 5 of the Convention states 

 that the adhering countries pledge themselves not to admit living plants 

 without a certificate (except as noted in the last paragiaph). The fact that 

 countries such as England import for horticultural purposes wild plants from 

 parts of the world whence certificates cannot possibly be got (as Tibet) was 

 either overlooked, or it was intended that such imports should cease, or it 

 was intended (but not expressly stated in the Acte Finale of the Convention) 

 that wild plants should be altogether excluded from the regulations. 



There is nothing in the Convention to prevent countries making any other 

 regulations they like, provided they do not constitute a breach of the principles 

 of the Convention. The latter stipulation is not expressly mentioned but, 1 

 take it; is implied in any international agreement of the kind. 



These are the essential parts of the Convention. Their efi'ect on India 

 may be considered (1) as concerns imports, (a) from adhering countries, (6) 

 from non-adhering countries, (2) as concerns exports. 



The trade in importing plants seems to fall into two main categories : 

 plants already in wide cultivation are imported chiefly from nurseries ; plants 

 not already in wide cultivation (including novelties and wild plants) often do 

 not come from, nurseries or trade establishments at .^11. 



For the first class, the application of the Convention to imports from 

 adhering countries presents few difiiculties, and the mycological requirements 



' Covered in part by the Berne Convention. 



