National and Educational Interests. 



121 



pliances, and the originators and introducers of books and 

 periodicals, etc., are already so protected by the copyright and 

 patent laws ; and 



" Whereas, the origination and introduction of new varieties 

 of plants are of great value to the nation and are the direct 

 results of study, research, labor and expense ; and 



'' Whereas, there is no natural protection for such labor and 

 expense, and on the contrary the very nature of plants renders 

 them capable of being cheaply and easil}^ propagated, often to 

 the express injury of the originator and introducer under the 

 present lack of protection ; and 



'' Whereas, unprincipled men do constantly obtain early speci- 

 mens, or duplicate plants and seeds, etc. , of such new varieties, 

 and rapidly propagate them soleh' for the purposes of gain to 

 themselves, and by such rapid propagation often to tfie injury 

 of the vitality of the plants so propagated, and consequently 

 to the injury of the reputation of the variety and the reputation 

 of its originator, and injury to the persons buying such plants ; 

 and 



" Whereas, unscrupulous persons, for the purpose of dis- 

 honest gain, do frequently introduce and sell old and sometimes 

 worthless varieties of plants under new or false names and 

 descriptions, thereby deceiving the public into the purchase 

 of the seeds and plants of such varieties at increased and 

 fictitious prices, and bringing legitimate trade into disrepute, 

 and injuring honest growers and merchants : 



"Sec. 2. — Testing stations. — Therefore be it enacted as 

 follows: The Secretary of Agriculture is hereby instructed to 

 invite the several state experiment stations which are in re- 

 ceipt of appropriations from the general government to co- 

 operate in the work outlined herewith, and in the event of 

 their refusal, tacit or direct, the Secretary is hereby authorized 

 to organize, locate, or designate other testing stations, at 

 public institutions or on private farms whose proprietors will 

 thus co-operate with the government for the purposes of this 

 act. 



"Sec. 3. — Sending to stations under secretary's label: 

 Preliminary certificate for protection. — Originators or dis- 

 coverers of new varieties of useful or ornamental plants not 

 previously offered for public sale shall have the privilege of 



A. H. 9 



