REPORT OF THE FEDERAL HORTICULTURAL BOARD. 



United States Department of Agriculture, 



Federal Horticultural, Board, 

 Washington, D. 6'., September 29, 1917. 

 Sir: I submit herewith an executive report covering the adminis- 

 tration of the plant quarantine act for the fiscal year ending June 

 30, 1917. 



Respectfully, 



C. L. Marlatt, 



Chavnnan of Board. 

 Hon. D. F. Houston, 



Seci'etary of AgHculture. 



FEDERAL PLANT QUARANTINE ACT. 



Under the Federal plant quarantine act of August 20, 1912, as 

 amended March 4, 1913, and March 4, 1917, the entry of foreign 

 nursery stock and other plants and plant products into the United 

 States is regulated, and domestic and foreign quarantines on account 

 of plant diseases and insect pests are established and maintained. 



The amendment of this act, approved March 4, 1917, has relation 

 to section 8, the domestic quarantine section. As hitherto worded, 

 this section restricted the promulgation of quarantines to any State, 

 Territory, or District of the United States, or any portion thereof, 

 which could be definitely determined by the Secretary of Agriculture 

 as being invaded by the plant disease or insect involved. The new 

 wording authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to promulgate a 

 quarantine to include " any State, Territory, or District of the United 

 States, or any portion thereof, when he shall determine that such 

 quarantine is necessary to prevent the spread of a dangerous plant 

 disease or insect infestation"; in other words, without the require- 

 ment of the determination of the actual infestation of such area as 

 a whole. Such broad power need be exercised only in the case of 

 diseases or infestations like that of the white-pine blister rust or 

 the citrus canker, where the actual spread can not be accurately 

 determined. A further modification of this section authorizes the 

 Secretary of Agriculture to quarantine and regulate the movement, 

 in addition to plants and plant products, of " any class of stone or 

 quarry products or any other article of any character whatsoever 



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