pure and good seed — of grass seed in the first place, but also of that of
root crops. By an ordinance issued in 1909, requiring all imported clover seed
to be coloured, a sure method has also been got for preventing the spread
of less hardy sorts of seed in such parts of the country for which they are not
suitable.
The work done at Svalov through the efforts o f the Swedish Seed
Association and the General Swedish Seed Co., Ltd. The rise of this
work in connection with the seed-culture question has already been mentioned. Like
so many other enterprises of public importance in Sweden, it rose from private initiative
among the ranks of the farmers themselves, and from the demand a more thorough
system of agriculture gave rise to for a better quality of seed than that hithérto
found in old, native sorts, or in the unreliable seed from abroad. In 1886
there was established for this purpose a local association, whose chief office was
at Svalov in Skâne, but this society was developed the very next year to ’a
general Swedish one, and, finally, after its fusion in 1894 with an association
which had been founded for the central parts of the country after the rise of
that of Svalov, it became the Swedish, Seed Association (Sveriges utsâdes-
forening), and, as such, represents the work performed in common in aid
of this branch of agriculture. All the agricultural societies came with their
support and financial assistance (ca. 15 000 kronor annually, on an average)
during the course of the first few years, and from 1890 the State gavei a
grant, amounting then to 15 000 kronor, but increased in 1905 to 40.000
kronor, in 1913 to 50 000 kronor, and in 1914 to 81 000 kronor, after the agricultural
societies had withdrawn. The number of members is 1 300, of whom
300 are life-members, the remainder paying an annual subscription o f / 5' .kronor.
The budget for 1913 amounts to more than 100 000 kronor, one of the items
being 60 000 kronor received in payment for the Association’s s e ed , offered for
sale. The fees of 100 kronor each paid by the life-members, which amount
to 35 000 kronor, have been made over to the building fund, which has also
received gifts amounting to more than 265 000 kronor, a speaking testimony to
the interest felt by the public in this matter. The Association now owns a
magnificent, specially equipped establishment at Svalov, with an estate in
connection with it.
The work of the Association is carried out chiefly = at Svalov, although,■ in
order that the various parts of the country may profit by the results, obtained,
two branch establishments have been opened, one for central Sweden at Ultuna,
which has been in operation since 1897 (from 1894 at Örebro), and one for
Norrland, at Luleâ, since 1906. The work is superintended by a director
(since 1890, Professor N. Hj. Nilsson) and twelve_permanent officials, 5 of
whom are specialists at Svalov. Each branch-office has also a director.
The Association has pursued its task of improving plant cultivation in Swedish
agriculture, principally by the breeding of new and richly productive varieties
of the various kinds of seed which are specially adapted for the varying conditions
in the different parts of the country. The first to -be taken' in
hand were wheat, barley, oats, peas and vetches, after which there gradually
came rye, potatoes, clover, grass, and root crops. The new varieties obtained
have, after being thoroughly tested, gradually come into very general use all
over the country; in certain parts of Sweden they have practically entirely
superseded the older sorts and are coming into more general use in the more
northerly parts of the country, too. It is acknowledged very generally, too,
that they have essentially contributed to the considerable increase in value
exhibited of late years by the harvests in Sweden. Abroad, too, they have
attracted great attention and are being much employed, and have made the
name of Svalov known over the whole of the civilized world, which is proved,
among other things, by the many visitors from distant parts of the globe
who inspect the establishment every year.
This success, which was somewhat unexpected in a land lying so far to the
north and so little favoured by climate, Ts explained in the first place by the
fact that it is really the first time that an establishment, fully equipped with
scientific resources, has been exclusively employed for the purpose of improving
cultivated agricultural plants. The independence enjoyed by the establishment,
its direct’ connection with practical farming and farmers, and thé consequent
practical-* arrang'emen t. • of the place, have clearly contributed to its success
as well.
Svalov.
Respecting the method of work adopted at Svalov — an account of which
can -be had from the publications issued by the Association. — no more need
be ! said than that the fundamental principle is simply applied botany, and that
it has adopted the laws for the creation of forms and heredity, the existence of
which has been proved by the scientific researches of the last few years. The
•discovery of valuable forms, wherever they are to be found, but above all in
native—material, and the cross-breeding of these again, therefore, form the
chief feature of the method employed.
The work of the Svalov establishment-is supported, however, by another institution,
too, the General Swedish Seed Go. L td (Allmânna svenska ut-
sadesaktiebolaget), which began its operations in 1891. The Company has
undertaken the practical utilization of the : results obtained by the more
scientific labours of the Association, and, consequently, it has the charge of the
increase, maintenance, and sale of the new varieties of seed, on their appearance.
All this is carried out under the direct and thorough control of the Association, as
regards the cultivation, ° f the new varieties in fields in various parts of the
country — at present amounting to about 8 000 hectares — and the treatment
tlle harvested seed in the magazines, until it is sent in officially sealed
sacks to the purchasers. This very effective arrangement has, very naturally,
also contributed to the success, of the Svalov seed varieties all over the world.
In other respects, the Company is entirely independent of the Association, having