138 
Pedigree  Seed  Corn. 
part  of  a system  of  registration  than  would  be  (to  take  as 
near  a parallel  case  as  can  be  quoted)  any  commercial  trans- 
actions on  the  part  of  the  various  “ breed  ” societies  who 
register  our  pedigree  herds  and  flocks. 
Any  scheme  which  might  be  adopted  should  take  into 
account  the  interests  not  only  of  growers,  but  also  of  seed 
raisers  and  distributors.  It  would  probably  b“gin  in  a 
comparatively  small  way.  The  number  of  growers  of  pedigree 
cereals  is  limited,  and  whilst  isolation  of  pure  races  and  means 
of  identiflcation  may  be  important,  many  growers  will  remain 
satisfied  with  the  more  or  less  indefinite  aggregates  which 
at  present  form  the  larger  part  of  the  seed  corn  used  in  this 
country.  The  business  of  dealing  with  these  parcels  would 
remain  practically  unaffected  by  any  system  of  registration, 
since  this  could  apply  only  to  those  established  varieties  which 
have  been  kept  practically  uniform  by  either  their  originators 
or  others  to  whom  the  original  stock  has  been  transferred, 
and  to  new  races  raised  by  selection  or  hybridisation,  and  it 
would  appear  that  such  a system  would  be  distinctly  beneficial 
to  those  engaged  in  the  production  and  distribution  of  this 
class  of  seed  corn. 
It  is  suggested  that  any  register  which  was  started  should 
be  published  periodically,  and  consist  of  two  parts : (i.)  a 
description  of  the  distinguishing  characters  of  the  variety  or 
race  ; (ii.)  a list  in  two  classes  of — 
A.  Original  growers  of  distinct  varieties  or  pure  races,  or 
those  to  whom  the  whole  original  stock  had  been  transferred. 
B.  Second-hand  grower^  obtaining  seed  direct  from 
growers  registered  in  Class  A,  with  the  year  when  the  seed 
was  obtained.  . 
The  German  system  of  “ inspection  ” and  “ recognition  ” 
might  or  might  not  be  added,  or  might  be  optional  to  those 
growers  willing  to  pay  the  charges  which  would  be  involved. 
A system  might  also  be  added  for  collection  of  samples  of 
ripe  crops  of  registered  varieties,  comprising  entire  plants 
(grain  and  straw)  representing  the  produce  of  say  acre 
taken  in  aliquot  parts  from  several  parts  of  the  fields  or 
plots  of  registered  varieties.  These  might  form  standard 
samples  of  convenient  size  for  storing  for  reference,  and 
might  also,  moreover,  provide  a collection  of  examples  for 
exhibition. 
Any  such  systems  of  registration,  recognition,  inspection, 
sampling,  and  exhibition  would,  of  course,  require  careful 
consideration  and  working  out  in  detail,  and  possible  abuses 
of  them  should  be  provided  against.  This  could  only  be 
attempted  with  any  hope  of  success  by  some  organisation 
commanding  the  confidence  of  agriculturists  generally,  and 
