REPORT OF THE FEDERAL HORTICULTURAL BOARD. 



381 



by the board, however, of having all foreign cottons fumigated on 

 arrival is undoubtedly the only plan which will sufficiently protect 

 the cotton-growing interests of this country and at the same time 

 not impose prohibitive restrictions on the importation and use of 

 foreign cottons necessary in our industries. 



The following table indicates the amount of cotton imported during 

 the year and the amount of cotton waste imported since February: 



All ginned cotton imported since March 10, 1916, is subject to the disinfection requirement. Between 

 March 10, 1916, and June 30, 1916, 119,965 bales were imported, 105,957 bales of which were disinfected on or 

 before June 30, 1916. 



Grades of waste result his from and subsequent to the cardine machine are not subject to the disinfection 

 requirement. Between March 10, 1916. and June 30, 1916, 11,872 bales of such grades were imported. 



Of waste subject to the disinfection requirement, 5,888 bales were imported between March 10, 1916, and 

 June 30, 1916, 4,968 bales of which were disinfected on or before June 30, 1916. 



During the fiscal year 207 packages, etc., of samples of ginned cotton and one package of samples of 

 cotton waste were imported under permit. 



The importation of cotton waste was brought under restriction in February, 1916. No record was kept 

 of importations of waste prior to that time. 



VIOLATIONS OF THE PLANT QUARANTINE ACT. 



A number of small shipments of prohibited foreign plants and plant 

 products were intercepted by customs officials and inspectors of this 

 department, and in each instance the goods were either reexported 

 or destroyed. 



On April 11a telegram was received from the collector of customs 

 at Norfolk reporting that 189 tons of cotton seed from Lagos, West 

 Africa, a part of the cargo of the British steamship Appam, brought 

 to Newport News as a German prize of war, was to be sold by an order 

 of the United States Admiralty Court at 10 o'clock the following 

 day. The collector was promptly notified of the quarantine 

 against foreign cotton seed, but the seed was sold to an oil mill in 

 North Carolina, the sale being contingent on the approval of this 

 department. The board, in cooperation with the Office of Markets 

 and Rural Organization, promptly sent experts to Norfolk to safe- 

 guard the situation as far as possible. An examination of the seed 

 revealed many traces of infestation by the pink bollworm. Imme- 

 diate steps were taken to have the provisional sale set aside by the 

 court. This was done as soon as the danger was explained. Several 

 methods of disposing of the very large bulk of cotton seed were con- 

 sidered, with the result that the entire lot was placed in sulphuric 

 acid vats as a preliminary to the conversion of the seed into fertilizer. 

 As additional precautions, the two holds of the Appam which had 

 contained the seed were fumigated with a strong dosage of sodium 

 cyanide, and the dock at Newport News was thoroughly swept and 



