180 The Nomenclature of Agricultural Plants. [May, 



In the case of a new strain, i.e., where it is only claimed that 

 an improvement has been made in yield, quality, or other non- 

 botanical feature, the trial need only be made in regard to 

 this quality against the best representative of the type to 

 which the strain belongs, though any notable deficiency in any 

 other good character would prevent admission to the Register. 



Such trials must be carried out by experts, and would have 

 to be repeated simultaneously on several different stations in 

 different parts of England: the respective committees would 

 weigh the evidence, and make their reports. These reports 

 would be submitted annually to meetings of the interests 

 concerned for confirmation, and would then be published. 

 The reports might give, in addition to the mere findings, descrip- 

 tions and illustrations of the varieties and strains which have 

 qualified for the register ; and a list of the original growers of the 

 new registered varieties and strains, or of those to whom the 

 whole of the original stock had been transferred. 



The admission of strains to the Register, though essential, 

 immediately creates a difficulty, for the fact that they are- 

 anrecognisable by eye from the other strains of the same 

 type must tend to encourage fraud, as it would be impossible 

 to detect the substitution of seed of inferior strains for that 

 of the genuine article. That this form of fraud would not 

 only be at the expense of the public, but also to the detriment 

 of all honest traders, would suggest that the latter would have 

 to co-operate to protect themselves. This brings us back to the 

 Danish " Guarantee of Genuineness " which was evolved by 

 the seed-traders themselves to meet this very difficulty in the 

 case of roots. It would be a notable advance if this principle 

 were adopted by traders in Britain, whose business it is to 

 guard themselves, and to whose advantage it is to protect the 

 public. 



By the combination of trials and Registers everyone con- 

 cerned, save those who deliberately make money by fraud, 

 would be benefited; nomenclature would become rational and 

 simple, and at the same time only the valuable productions 

 would be encouraged at the expense of those which have no 

 right to survive. The seed dealers would find their work- 

 simplified, the producers would, for the first time, receive an ade- 

 quate return for their skill and labour, and the country would afc 

 last learn something about the crops which it grows. 



