THE CANADIAN HORTICULTURIST. 169 



placed iji tlie liaiuls of the xjroprietor or proprietors of sucli nursery 

 for propaj^atiou and distribution. 



That none but the proprietors of this patent fruit nursery and the 

 owners of patents be allowed to sell any patented fruits, the latter to 

 sell none but their own patents. 



This is merely an outline of the scheme which would necessarily 

 involve the study and discussion of a great many details before it 

 could be put in successful operation, but it is hoped there are no in- 

 surmountable obstacles in the way; so with the view of eliciting the 

 opinions of practical men the following ideas are throw out. In the 

 lirst place parliamentary aid would be necessary to enable any society 

 to grant patents, and though it may be an open question whether such 

 power should be put in the hands of the Fruit Growers' Association, 

 no patents we think should be granted without their recommendation. 



An examining committee would be required, whose duty it would 

 be to exann'ne all fruits for which patent rights are asked, and as the 

 members thereof could not be expected to perform the duties pertaining 

 to their office gratituously, they should receive such remuneration as 

 the directors of the Association shall see fit, to be paid out of patent 

 fees. It would be incumbent on this committee to be extremely 

 cautious in their recommendations; to give their stamp of approval 

 to no variety, however good, that is not undoubtedly superior in some 

 respects to all similar fruits in cultivation; and let the standard of 

 excellence be such, that the recommendation of the association or its 

 committee shall be a guarantee of excellence to the whole continent. 



The establishment of a patent fruit nursery on a proper basis 

 would be of the greatest importance to the success of this scheme; so 

 much so, that the Avay in which this idea is carried out might make 

 or mar the whole project. 



This establishmant should be placed in the hands of none but 

 practical nurserymen, who have conmiand of a sufficient quantity of 

 the right kind of soil, in some central locality, to suffice for the probable 

 requirements of' the busines; and that individual or company who 

 tenders to do the work at the lowest rates to have the appointment, 

 other things being satisfactory; the tenders to be for the propagating, 

 growing, and selling all the different kinds of fruits wdien sold by the 

 dozen, the hundred or the thousand. Let then the patentee add to 

 these prices a further sum within certain limits, which sum or sums 



