90 



Agriculture Abroad. 



[Apr., 



subsidy may be doubled if the plot comprises 2 hectares of land. 

 The Director General of Elementary Schools is to draw up rules 

 for conducting and inspecting the school plots, and for holding 

 competitions to award prizes to teachers who obtain the best 

 results. 



With the object of improving plant cultivation, the new 

 State of Czecho-Slovakia has introduced a law providing for 

 Plant Im rove ^^^^ registration of vaiieties of plants as 

 . _ ^ . original " varieties, and, aftei- protracted 



ment Law m ^ . , i. j w if 



^ . «i 1 • trials, as guaranteed varieties, and tor 

 Czecho-Slovakia. • i.- e i ^ . f 



the examination oi seeds and plants tor 



variety. 



The administration of the Act is vested in the Czecho-Slovakian 

 Ministry of Agriculture, who have delegated their powers of 

 inspection to Commissioners. In applying for a cei-tificate to 

 register a variety as an " original " variety, the grower must 

 prove, to the satisfaction of the Commissioners, that the variety 

 in question has been obtained by means of a systematic process. 

 He must agree to an inspection of his trial grounds and labora- 

 tories, but the Commissions are bound to observe strict secrecy 

 with regard to any special methods or installations. 



A register is maintained at the Ministry of Agriculture of all 

 " original " varieties recognised by the Commissions, showing 

 the name of the producer, a short description and essential 

 qualities of the variety, the method of production, the terms of 

 the label issued to the grower for the purposes of sale, etc. A 

 certificate of " original " vniiety holds good only for three years, 

 unless renewed. 



Original varieties, which prove satisfactory during com- 

 parative tests made over a period of years on selected areas by 

 the Institutes and Stations set up for controlling the trade in 

 seeds and plants, may be recognised as " guaranteed " varieties, 

 a register of which is also maintained at the Ministrv of Agri- 

 culture. With both registers are kept samples of the seeds, 

 ears, or fruit of the original " or *' guaranteed " varieties. 

 The registers and samples are open to public inspection. 



