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to lay down that the permission of the Ministry must be obtained 

 before such a new race is grown outside the originator's estate. Under 

 present conditions application is made to the Ministry only when a 

 bulk of seed has been obtained, and it is proposed to start the com- 

 mercial sale of seed. The Ministry has no definite information as 

 to the value of the new race and, therefore, no means of arriving at 

 a decision as to the desirability of granting a licence. Under these 

 circumstances, knowing the danger, it would act wisely in adopting a 

 cautious attitude and refusing a licence. But such refusal can but act- 

 as a deterrent to those to whom it wishes to give encouragement. 



The weakness in the present system lies in the absence of any 

 independent knowledge of the race which will enable the Ministry to 

 decide, and it is at this point that the remedy must be sought. The 

 consideration of the early history of such a race will point to a practical 

 means of attaining the dual object of controlling introduction without 

 discouragement to the producer. 



No such race originates as a bulk production ready for immediate 

 introduction. The beginnings are small ; it may be a single plant, 

 and some years are spent in working up purity and a stock of seed 

 before the supply reaches a volume to pass beyond the originator's 

 estate. A decision is, therefore, reached with regard to a particxilar 

 race some years before it is ready to be launched as a commercial 

 proposition. It is at the time this decision is reached that the Ministry 

 should receive information, facilities given to the officers of that Ministry 

 to inspect the crop, and a small supply of seed placed at its disposal. 

 That sample will be made over to the Botanical Section and examined 

 for purity and general suitability. From two directions, the botanical 

 analysis and the agricultural inspection, the Ministry will thus be 

 placed in the possession of information on which it will be able to arrive 

 at a decision when application for a licence is received. 



There appear to be two advantages in this proposal. The demand 

 for early information, facilities for inspection, and the submission of a 

 sample of seed, require no legal enforcement by penalties. The onus 

 of compliance is placed on the producer, and, if he does not comply, he 

 will have no ground for complaint if a licence is withheld. The control 

 will not act as a deterrent to the class it is desired to encourage. 

 Again, the supply of seed will provide the Botanical Section with 

 valuable material for its own investigation private agency, as well 

 as the district staff, is, in fact, being enrolled in the search we desire 

 to make as thorough as possible. 



It may be necessary to give some form of guarantee that Ministerial 

 development will be delayed for a series of years to allow the originator 

 to reap the benefit of his work. Such a guarantee is not likely seriously 

 to affect the section's work. In the event of a really useful " find " 



