SCIENTIFIC AGRICULTURE. 



April, 1922. 



The Copenhagen Conference. * 



Georg"e H. Clark, Dominion Seed Commissioner, Ottawa 



The International Conference on Seed 

 Control had been held periodically in 

 Europe prior to 1914. The conference 

 held during June of this year was called 

 by the Danish Government at the request 

 of several of the other governments of 

 Europe. The time and place for the next 

 conference has been fixed for June 1924 

 at Cambridge in England. 



There were at the Copenhagen con- 

 ference in June last representatives from 

 sixteen European countries. The con- 

 ference really became one on seed testing 

 as distinguished from seed control. Dis- 

 cussions were in the English. French and 

 German languages. The latter language 

 seemed to predominate. The chairman of 

 the conference, Professor Dr. Johansen, 

 was equally as adept at giving translations 

 of addresses or discussion.^ from his own 

 shortland notes as he was graceful, in the 

 capacity of chairman. 



Because of the need of translation pro- 

 gress was slow, nor was it easy to secure 

 unanimity of opinion or arrive at any de- 

 finite decision. While the conference was 

 in progress I frequently had occasion to 

 reflect on how fortunate we are here in 

 North America in having a homogeneous 

 people. At the annual conference of our 

 American association we are able to ar- 

 rive at important decisions with compara- 

 tively few difficulties to overcome. 



One resolution was adopted which had 

 for its objective the forming of an associa- 

 tion of "Official Seed Analysts and Seed 

 Control Organizations of Europe." A 

 committee consisting of Dr. Volkart of 

 Zurich, Mr. Bruijning, Wageningen, (de- 

 ceased July 21st), Mr. Dorph Peli^rson, of 

 Copenhagen, Avas appointed to consider 

 the constitution of the association, rules 

 of its membership and work, and circulate 

 their recommendations to the members of 

 the conference. The personnel of this 

 committee was also ai)pointed by re- 

 solution to consider: 



* Presidential address to Official Seed 

 Analysts of North America, at Toronto 

 Convention, December, 1921. 



(a) the unification of seed testing me- 



thods in Europe, keeping in view 

 the possibility of ultimate uni- 

 fication with North America; 



(b) the method of expressing the re- 



sults of analyses and the quality 

 of the seeds analysed, and to 

 present a report at the next in- 

 ternational conference. 

 The matter of eligibility to member- 

 ship in the European Association now 

 formed was discussed at considerable 

 length. In connection with the European 

 Seed Testing A.ssociation there may be 

 seed testing or seed control stations with 

 full membership and others with only as- 

 sociate membership. At least the recom- 

 mendations of Mr. Bruijning of Holland, 

 that only seed testing stations be admit- 

 ted Avhich were fully equipped and ef- 

 ficiently manned with analysts having 

 complete scientific training and experience 

 in seed testing, seemed to- meet the 

 approval of many if not most of those 

 present at the conference. Such fully 

 equipped and efficiently manned stations 

 woulcl be admitted to full membership and 

 thereafter the analytical certificates issued 

 by any of the stations admitted to full 

 membership would be regarded as a con- 

 trolling factor in adjusting disputes which 

 arise from international commerce in 

 seeds. 



Here is a fundamental question that 

 might verv^ well be considered by our 

 American association. There is at least 

 evidence from time to time that all of our 

 seed testing stations do not command the 

 full confidence of the interested public. 

 If such a regulation were in effect in our 

 association of North America some of us 

 would have better grounds for demanding 

 a high standard of scientific training with 

 commensurate salaries for our supervising 

 seed analysts. 



Research — ^Origin of Seeds. 



Dr. Volkart, of Zurieli, Switzerland, has 

 since the European Seed Control Con- 

 ference of 1909 been working steadily 

 toward the production of a basis for the 



