74 PROTECTION OF PLANTS — 1923-24 



stand that seeds of low germination and with impurities in excess of Canadian 

 standards are not even permitted entry into the country. 



Unfortunately, this type of work started nearly everywhere far too late. 

 Witness the presence to-day in Canada of many noxious weeds of foreign origin, 

 which cost the farmers thousands of dollars every year in attempts to eradicate. 



Aside from the principal factors that a seed must be living and should be 

 pure, progress in agricultural knowledge has revealed further desirable and 

 essential features that constitute seed of superior value to the farmers. A seed 

 must be true to type, true to name, of one variety, etc. To achieve this end it is 

 necessary to start such inquiries before the seed has matured; the seed analyst 

 cannot possibly do justice to these phenomena from a general examination of the 

 seed. Naturally, I am quite aware that certain of these features may be reco- 

 gnized in the seed, especially of the larger kinds: it is simple enough in corn, 

 peas and beans, more difficult in the case of cereals, but impossible in most of 

 the smaller seeds, especially in those of vegetables of the cabbage type. 



In consequence, the agrostologists, cerealists and plant breeders generally, 

 joined forces with the seed analyst in studying and standardizing the require- 

 ments in this regard. 



Their investigations gradually gave rise to what the Germans call "Saate- 

 nanerkennung", that is, the inspection of fields used for the production of seeds, 

 and special recognition or certification of such, according to precise systems of 

 inspections and according to kind of seed. 



In this connection questions concerning origin of the seed, soil conditions, 

 climate, position and yield, are receiving foremost attention, and necessarily so, 

 since experience has again proved the best teacher in this regard. In i-eviewing 

 the standards applied in many countries we note that the following constitute 

 a workable basis : 



1. Trueness to name, uniformity, purity of variety, freedom from other 

 varieties, absence of weeds, protection from cross pollination and freedom from 

 diseases. 



2. Assurance as regards proper crop rotation and general satisfactory 

 handling of seeds, including cleaning and marketing facilities. 



As you know, this type of work is carried on in Canada by the Canadian 

 Seed Growers' Association, according to the general principles referred to 

 above. 



There cannot be any doubt that present achievements in the production 

 of a high type of agricultural seeds are the interesting results of evolution of 

 knowledge, based upon practical experience and aided by scientific research. 



Addressing an audience interested especially in the protection of plants 

 from insects and disease, you will agree that we must start this protection with 

 the seed that is planted; and while the factors referred to already constitute, 

 each and all, most desirable features, a few words on the question of freedom 



