ICQ 



Sir James Wilson, who is a member of the Board of Agricul- 

 ture. Mr. Rogers will to-day give us an account of the lines 

 upon which that International Parliament of Agriculture has 

 recommended that action shall be taken by all Governments 

 for the regulation of plant diseases, and for the promotion 

 of the commerce of the world with safety and with increased 

 hope for the future. I have very great pleasure in now call- 

 ing upon Mr. Rogers to read his paper upon the work done 

 by that Conference at Rome. 



THE INTERNATIONAL PHYTOPATHOLOGICAL CONVENTION 

 OF ROME AND ITS RELATION TO TROPICAL AGRI- 

 CULTURE. 



By A. G. L. ROGERS, 

 Board of Agriculture. 



[ABSTRACT.] 



(1) History of the movement in favour of international 

 action for control of plant diseases. 



(2) The Congress at Rome, February-March, 1914. 



(3) Summary of draft convention of Rome. 



(4) Inadequate representation of tropical countries. 



(5) Summary of legislation and regulations at present in 

 force in tropical and sub-tropical countries. 



(6) Comparison of these regulations with those contemplated 

 by Rome convention. 



(7) Advantages and disadvantages of the proposed change of 

 method. 



[DISCUSSION.] 



Dr. C. J. J. VAN HALL (Department of Agriculture, Buiten- 

 zorg, Java) : Mr. Chairman I have listened with considerable 

 interest to the paper of Mr. Rogers. As regards the three 

 different ways which he suggested to prevent the introduction 

 of diseases and pests from abroad, I am afraid that two of 

 them, viz., eradicating completely the disease in its home 

 country, and controlling all shipments of plants and seeds in 

 the country of origin, will never be regarded as sufficient by 

 the country which desires to import the plants or seeds. Each 

 country will in the end have to rely upon itself for controlling 

 the plants and seeds imported. Besides, it must not be forgotten, 

 that it often happens that a disease has only just attacked 

 a plant when it is shipped, and that it is then almost impossible 

 to detect its presence, while on arrival at its destination 



