REPORT OF THE SOCIETY 95 



number of inspection visits has shown fewer prosecutions necessary. In 

 1914 inspection increased by 22% and a decrease of 16.5% in violations 

 of the law was noted. The reports of the Seed Branch show that, in larger 

 numbers, the farmers demand and get clean, viable seed from the dealers. 



The following notes from the Annual Reports of the Commission of 

 Conservation (7) and the Agricultural Gazette (2) have to do with weed 

 acts of the provinces. Nova Scotia places a law in the hand of municipal- 

 ities. Each may compel its landowners to destroy weeds. One county 

 makes owners destroy the poisonous ragwort on their land. Another 

 district compels its occupants to get rid of weeds with wind-borne seeds. 

 The Dominion Seed Control Act, 1913, is in force in New Brunswick (1914). 

 The British Columbia government, according to the terms of the "Noxious 

 Weeds Act, 1915," requires all occupants, or the agents of owners, to destroy 

 noxious weeds. Municipal Councils are considered owners of the land with- 

 in their boundaries. Inspectors enforce this act, in cooperation with the 

 police. The inspector may enter, and destroy noxious weeds, on non- 

 residents' land. Various unoccupied lands cause much trouble. Among the 

 worst weeds are the Russian and Canada thistles, stinkweed, and wild 

 mustard. The Alberta government in enforcement of their "Noxious Weed 

 Act" appointed in 1915 fifty-six provincial local inspectors, and about 

 the same number were employed by municipalities. Each provincial 

 inspector looks after 9 to 20 townships. Farmers must when noti- 

 fied destroy noxious weeds. Prosecutions for violations of the terms of the 

 Alberta Act were reduced from 60 in 1913 to 40 in 1915. The "Wild Land 

 Tax" is having a beneficial effect in securing the interest of absentee land- 

 owners. On behalf of the educational campaign being waged, 25,000 weed 

 bulletins have been sent out since 1912. In Saskatchewan, the Weeds and 

 Seed Branch of the Department of Agriculture enforced the Noxious Weeds 

 Act, 1916. The keynote of the work of the Branch is "weed control." 

 The act specifies that each man shall try to the best of his ability to keep 

 his weeds under control. Each municipality maist appoint an inspector 

 by March 1st, each year, on penalty of each member of the council being 

 fined $25.00. In 1913 fifty districts employed paid inspectors at salaries 

 of from $700 to $1,000. In so far as possible the inspectors are trained 

 men, acting as Agricultural Secretaries who further cooperative marketing 

 and general agricultural development. Manitoba directs its municipal 

 councils to appoint inspectors by May 1st yearly. The Manitoba act 

 compels landowners and railroads to keep down noxious weeds. Thresh- 

 ing machines must be thoroughly cleaned at each farm after threshing, 

 and sweepings destroyed. Screenings from cleaned grain may not be sold 

 in the province. Weedy crops may be destroyed by an inspector, who may 



