48 PROTECTION OP PLANTS — 1922-23 



Today it occurred to me that a few remarks on the practical issues bearing 

 upon the natural function of insects to the pollination of plants might not be 

 out of place. The few remarks that I have to make refer to the question of 

 seed production among vegetable crops. The notes that I have on this subject 

 have been made up from some observations taken in British Columbia in 1918 

 while working on certain aspects of vegetable seed production — a project 

 which received considerable impetus in that province about that time as a 

 war measure. Just previous to 1918 the importance of producing home grown 

 vegetable seeds became of consequence on the western coast. It was realized 

 that the climatic and soil conditions were favorable to the production of vege- 

 table seeds. A number of men were instrumental in placing this agricultural 

 proposition before the farmers of the province. Mr. P. A. Boving, Professor 

 of Agronomy at the University of British Columbia, Mr. Lionel Stevenson, 

 at that time Superintendent of the Dominion Experimental Farm at Sydney, 

 Mr. A. McMeans, Pacific Coast Representative of the Dominion Seed Branch, 

 Mr. W. T. Hunter, of the Provincial Horticultural Staff, and Mr. L. E. Taylor, 

 a practical fruit grower who became president of the B. C. Seed Growers 

 Association, are all on record as favoring this industry. The prices to be received 

 for home grown seed were favorable, w^hile the prices to be paid for imported 

 seeds were unfavourable, to say nothing of the dissatisfaction resulting from 

 poor seed that was being used to some extent by the farmers of the province. 

 With true western optimism a certain romance developed upon the possibility 

 of developing a new agricultural industry and great endeavors took place at 

 the time. While the leaders in the movement were fully aware of the difficulties 

 and dangers of the situation based on the question of applied genetics, a sur- 

 prising ignorance was shown by the average farmer in the matter of producing 

 home grown seed. To many, all that appeared necessary was to select sound 

 roots or plants such as cabbage, carrot, radish or onion, set them out in the 

 spring and let them throw up seed heads from which a bountiful harvest of 

 seed would be taken in the autumn. A good income of course would be 

 expected. It was very interesting indeed to see some of these farmers' planta- 

 tions in the year of 1918. Cabbages, turnips, swedes, beets, radishes, onion 

 etc., were growing in great profusion, or, it might be better said, in great con- 

 fusion, in rows, side by side, adjoining the farmers' outbuildings. Different 

 varieties of these plants were to be found not only in a single acre but on neigh- 

 boring farms, possibly in some cases only a few hundred yards away. All of 

 this was essentially wrong and it was not surprising to find that when the grow- 

 ers experienced difficulties in the matter of seed registration their enthusiasm 

 died down for the industry as a whole. Today I believe the same enthusiasm 

 does not exist but as a result of the campaign that was conducted it was clearly 

 shown that good seed could be produced, possessing high fertility and good 

 germination. Soil and climatic factors were likewise favorable and it may be 



