BUREAU OF PLANT REGISTRATION, 207 



SHALL WE HAVE A BUREAU OF PLANT 

 REGISTRATION? 



The question of establishing a bureau for the registration of plants 

 in connection with the present Division of Pomology, was brought 

 before the Section of Botany and Horticulture of the Association 

 of Ainerican Agriculture, Colleges and Experiment Stations by 

 Prof. L. C. Corbett, of the West Virginia University. After a care- 

 ful consideration of the matter, the section appointed a coinmittee 

 to report upon the feasibility of the scheme and to suggest the out- 

 line of a plan to be presented to congress at an early date. The 

 committee consists of L. C. Corbett, Morgantown, W. Va., chairman, 

 W. A. Taylor, U. S. Department of Agriculture, Washington, D. C; 

 Prof. L. H. Bailey, Ithaca, N. Y.; F. S. Earle, Auburn, Ala.; and C. A. 

 Shinn, Berkeley, Cal. 



The idea is to have some one place in the United States where all 

 plants placed upon the market can be officially registered, num- 

 bered, and a description, together with specimens of the bloom, 

 seed, foliage and fruit placed on record. When it is not practicable 

 to preserve the original, colored casts are to be prepared, as in the 

 case of citrons, drupaceous and pomaceous fruit, as well as vege- 

 tables. 



In all cases where plants are sent for registration, specimens of 

 flowers, foliage, fruit, root, tuber or seed must, accompany the ap- 

 plication. All vegetables must be accompanied by a given amount 

 of seed (to be determined) to be preserved for purposes of noting 

 the duration of cultural varieties, the influence of climate during 

 any series of years or in any locality. A further purpose of the 

 seed shall be to grow plants for purposes of identifying the sort. 



ENDS SOUGHT. 



1. To discourage the duplication of names and the re-naming of 

 old sorts for commercial purposes. 



2. To form a national herbarium of economic plants, which shall 

 be made up largelj^ from type specimens. 



3. To simplify the matter of nomenclature. 



4. To aid the student of varieties as well as of variation of 

 plants under culture. 



5. To secure to the originator of a truly valuable variety some re- 

 ward for his labor, the same as is now accorded the inventor. 



The incorporation ot such a clause (No. 5) will, I am sure, secure 

 the hearty co-operation o E all plant breeders, nurserymen and seeds- 

 men, and this co-operation we must have in order to advance the 

 scientific ends sought. 



It is further proposed that this central bureau be made a part and 

 parcel of the present Division of Pomology of the U. S. Department 

 of Agriculture. A very valuable nucleus for the beginning of such 

 work is had in the fruit models now in the museum of that depart- 

 ment. 



Each person interested in this matter will kindl}' formulate his 

 ideas on the subject and send to some member of the committee 

 who will put them in such form that a bill may be drafted at an 

 early date and presented before congress. The idea in having the 

 members of the committee so scattered is to get the needs of the 

 several sections of the United States as well represented as prac- 

 ticable. It is hoped that each one interested will lend hearty co- 

 operation in the matter. 



