]98 THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



QUARANTINE h2 MK S DIVISION 



REPORT FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH, 1916, 



By Frederick Maskew. 



In the proper place in this itemized record of the work of the month 

 appear a few figures in the following sequence : 4,167. This represents 

 the number of passengers arriving at the port of San Francisco during 

 the month of March from points outside Continental United States. 

 The personal belongings of all these passengers were opened and the 

 contents examined, by and with the authority of certain federal regula- 

 tions, for the presence of dutiable or contraband articles. Out of the 

 4,167 passengers, 1,562 came direct from the Territory of Hawaii, 

 and under United States Customs regulations their belongings were 

 exempt from inspection. Under Plant Quarantine regulations the 

 examination of the baggage of these one thousand five hundred and 

 sixty-two, which amounted to 3,353 separate pieces, devolved entirely 

 upon the six horticultural quarantine officers stationed at this port. It 

 is difficult to grasp the volume of work represented by these four simple 

 numerals, or to appreciate the amount of tact required to accomplish the 

 same without friction, yet such work is done regularly and systematic- 

 ally each week in the year. The searching for contraband fruit and 

 plant products in the personal belongings of all passengers on the 

 domestic ships arriving from Hawaiian ports is the most delicate task 

 assigned to the Quarantine Division. It is also considered by far the 

 most important of its multifarious duties, and no efforts have been 

 spared in developing and perfecting the details of this work. The 

 thoroughness and celerity with which the same is carried out on each 

 occasion vouch for the value and success of the educational features of 

 a system which advises and prepares the passengers in advance for this 

 ordeal, as also for the courtesy and dexterity of the inspectors in the 

 actual performance of this unpleasant duty. 



SAN FRANCISCO STATION. 



Steamship and baggage inspection: 



Ships inspected 



Passengers arrivin; 



Horticultural imports 



Ships inspected 71 



Passengers arriving from fruit fly ports 4,167 



Parcels 



Passed as free from pests 162,033 



Fumigated 2,074 



Refused admittance 165 



Contraband destroyed 50 



Total parcels horticultural imports for the month 164,322 



