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alternative lies between efficiency and renouncement; institutes not aWe to complete will 

 have to abstain, until conditions change for the better. 



Therefore, with the permission of our chairman, I should like to conceive the task 

 of this congress somewhat more broadly, and to lead you through my short discourse to 

 a conclusion which I have reached after many years' experience. 



In the first place I must recommend a certain restriction in the selection of establishments 

 to join in unification'). If not, we are liable to many and various deceptions and con- 

 sequently the total ruin of our efforts in the interest of international trade. I beg, there- 

 fore, to submit to the judgment of the present congress, the stipulation that^) in every 

 state, here represented, at least one establishment shall be designed for what we may call 

 "International Service". Said establishment should be completely equipped in order to ,meet 

 the highest demands. If this is impossible every make-believe unification should be dis- 

 carded as worthless, for it would only hurt the interests of the matter in question. 



If there is more than one station, the representatives of the States concerned, might 

 make their choice and tender a proposal to their Government on this subject. But I see, 

 Gentlemen, that I am already dwelling upon a topic that would perhaps better be con- 

 sidered in special discussions ; yet I should like to make some observations in this connection. 



I mention first of all the training of a scientific and technical staff and the somewhat 

 surprising fact that hardly any attention is paid to said training, a fact partly attributable 

 to the fact that the number of scientific men required by the stations is relatively small, 

 so that it is very difficult to induce >the Universities to give lectures on seed-testing. 

 Consequently a man who goes in for our profession can only acquire the indispensable 

 professional knowledge in the course of a many years' practice. The question arises : 

 "Could we not do something in this direction?" I believe the answer might be worded 

 as follows') : "It is desirable that scientifical co-operators who wish to be appointed later 

 on, should have been employed, for three consecutive months at least, in two well-reputed 

 foreign institutes, and that they should be required to produce a testimonial to this effect". 

 By this measure, both universality and uniformity would be greatly enhanced. 



It is necessary to state that the merely technical members of the staff will always 

 ■'deceive their training in laboratories, i. e. an exclusively practical training, but I have, 

 always felt that the better endowed, the more highly gifted, among them, should have 

 the opportunity of going to some foreign stations. Yet another and more important observation 

 .should be made concerning this technical staff. The training of a skilful technical staff 

 requires a couple years' practice at least, if satisfactory results are to be obtained. Tp 

 this end in Holland the system of female pupils has been adopted, on the understanding 

 that 'the said pupils shall receive a yearly allowance that enables a young lady of good 

 standing to live on a reasonable footing, in abeyance of her being appointed analyst or 

 assistant-analyst. 



In my opinion such a skilful staff ought to be induced to remain on duty with the 

 same laboratory for many years. Consequently an adequate salary is a matter of course. 

 The staff must set to work day by day with alacrity and cheerfulness. They must not 

 be subject to vexing pecuniary troubles which would not only be contrary to the humane 

 principles of modern times, but would also fail to tally with the fact that a monotonous 

 task, demanding a high degree of prolonged accuracy, requires some traits of character 

 which we appreciate in proportion as we grow older. Here I feel myself under an obligation 

 to grateful acknowledge all that, my institution owes to the co-operation of several 

 efficient technical assistants, and I am convinced that our efforts are sure to benefit by 

 the acknowledgment of the justice of the claims, I have just brought forward. An efficient 

 and beneficial unification of methods can only be imagined, if there is a sincere co-operation 

 of institutes established on a sound basis, i. e. possessing an efficient staff and an up-to- 

 date equipment. 



») Conol. 1. ') Conol. 2. ') Condi. 3. 



