352 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTrEE. 



been, for the most part, done in cooperation with the Bureaus of 

 Entomology and Plant Industry by special expert agents detailed 

 from these bureaus. 



COOPERATION WITH OTHER DEPARTMENTS. 



The enforcement of the foreign quarantines has been greatly 

 facilitated by the continued cooperation on the part of the State 

 Department and the Treasury Department, and the machinery of the 

 Post Office Department was utilized in the enforcement of both the 

 foreign and domestic quarantines. 



It is very gratifying to note that the strict compliance by post- 

 masters with the order of the Post Office Department to return to 

 the country and place of origin as prohibited all plants for propaga- 

 tion sent by mail has had a very salutary effect. Such sendings are 

 becoming less and less frequent, thus closing a very important avenue 

 of danger of introduction of plant pests. 



At the request of this department the mails have also been closed 

 to the importation of raw cotton lint. . 



LEGISLATION PROVIDING FOR TERMINAL INSPECTION OF INTERSTATE MAIL SHIP- 

 MENTS OF PLANTS AND PLANT PRODUCTS. 



There was incorporated in the agricultural appropriation act for 

 the fiscal year 1916, following the appropriation lor the enforcement 

 of the plant quarantine act, legislation providing, under certain con- 

 ditions, for terminal inspection of plants and plant products trans- 

 mitted interstate through the mails. No appropriation is made by 

 Congress for this purpose and all expenses arising thereunder are to be 



{)aid by the States invoking the benefits of the provision. This 

 egislation will enable a State to control plant diseases and insect 

 pests contained in mail shipments of plants from without the State. 

 Heretofore, while a State could protect itself by quarantining against 

 plants and plant products of other States so far as shipments by 

 freight or express of these articles was concerned, the mails left an 

 avenue for the entry and distribution without inspection of the 

 quarantined articles. The danger from this source was greatly 

 increased by the advent of the parcel post. 



Any State wishing to take advantage of this new legislation must 

 establish and maintain a terminal inspection service of plants and 

 plant products at one or more places therein. A list of plants and 

 plant products and the plant pests transmitted thereby, which in the 

 opinion of the proper officials of a State should be subject to terminal 

 inspection in order to prevent the introduction and dissemination in 

 said State of pests injurious to agriculture, is to be submitted to the 

 Secretary of Agriculture. Upon his approval of said list, in whole or 

 in part, the Secretary of Agriculture shall transmit the list as approved 

 to the Postmaster General, and thereafter aU packages containing 

 any plants or plant products named in said approved list shall, upon 



Sayment of postage therefor, be forwarded by the postmaster at the 

 estination of said package to the proper State official at the nearest 

 place where inspection is maintained. If the plant or plant products 

 are found upon inspection to be free from injurious pests, or, if 

 infected, shall be dismfected by said official, they shall, upon pay- 

 ment of postage therefor, be returned to the postmaster at the place 



