628 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



PADDY RICE QUARANTINE. 



The advisability of prohibiting or restricting the entry of seed or 

 paddy rice from all foreign countries and localities not already cov- 

 ered by quarantine was considered at a public hearing held in Wash- 

 ington June 11, 1923. The reason for this consideration is the dan- 

 ger of entry of injurious plant diseases and insect pests with un- 

 hulled or paddy rice. The principal rice-producing or exporting 

 countries of the world had already been covered in Quarantine No. 

 39 on account of flag smut and take-all diseases, but occasional ship- 

 ments of paddy rice were being offered for entry into the United 

 States from China and other countries not then covered by quaran- 

 tine, and it seemed desirable therefore to consider the extension of 

 the quarantine referred to to control the entry of paddy rice from 

 all foreign countries. It was brought out at the hearing that the 

 rice industry of Mexico is much of it of recent origin; that the 

 rice cultures of Mexico are apparently free from the diseases which 

 are known to occur in other foreign countries; and that there is a 

 considerable demand for Mexican paddy or seed rice for planting in 

 the United States. As a result of this showing the quarantine as 

 subsequently promulgated July 17, 1923, makes provision for the 

 entry of seed or paddy rice from Mexico under adequate safeguards. 



It may be noted that the restrictions which are now being enforced 

 on the entry of seed rice leave open to free entry into the United 

 States foreign hulled rice for food purposes. 



NURSERY STOCK, PLANT, AND SEED QUARANTINE. 



BULB CONFERENCE. 



Supplementary to the plant quarantine conference of May 15, 

 1922, which was called to consider the various provisions of Quaran- 

 tine 37, a conference was held on October 30 of the same year to 

 consider the subject of bulb importations. As a result of this con- 

 ference regulation 3 of Quarantine 37 was amended to permit the 

 unlimited entry for a period not to exceed three years from January 

 1, 1923, of the following additional bulbs : 



Chionodoxa ( glory-of-the-snow ) . 



Galanthiis ( snowdrop ) . 



Scilla (squill). 



Fritillaria imperialis (crown imperial). 



Fritillaria nieleagris (guineahen-flower). 



Muscari (grape hyacinth). 



Ixia. 



Eranthis (winter aconite). 



The termination at the end of a period not to exceed three years 

 of the unlimited entry of narcissus bulbs was also authorized. 



REVISION OF FREEDOM FROM SOIL REQUIREMENT. 



An informal conference between the Federal Horticultural Board 

 and the advisory committee of the American Association of Nursery- 

 men was held on October 3, 1922. It was represented by the con- 

 ferees that the washing of the roots, particularly of certain classes 

 of plants, as performed abroad was a source of injury to importa- 



