198 JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY [Vol. 14 



number more than 4,000 have been refused entry as being dangerous. 

 It is a common occurrence for otir men to intercept material infected or 

 infested with some disease or insect which is not now known to be present 

 in this country and which if introduced would occasion great losses. 



The question naturally arises as to the object and the net results of 

 all this organization and the work done by it. It is hardly necessary 

 for m.e to point out the object we seek to obtain. Horticultural history 

 is replete with "horrible exam.ples" of plant pest introductions in 

 combating which the producer has paid a heavy toll for our neglect. 

 We need not go far back for such examples, the gipsy and brown tail 

 moths, San Jose scale, Japanese beetles, citrus canker, European corn 

 borer, European potato wart, chestnut blight, white pine blister rust, 

 Mexican boll weevil, Colorado potato beetle, pink bollworm; these are 

 just a few. Florida and California have many insect pests and plant 

 diseases which could have been kept out. The South Atlantic and Gulf 

 States, as well as California, are particularly exposed to invasion by the 

 Mediterranean fruit fly and ether fruit flies. Europe, Africa and South 

 and Central American and Oriental countries harbor plant enemies 

 which must not be introduced into this country if our horticultural 

 and agricultural industries are to continue to prosper. It is to keep 

 these enemies out that California, Florida and the Federal Horticultural 

 Board maintain their plant quarantine services and it is for the sam,e 

 reason that other coastal and border states should inaugurate similar 

 services and that all states, coastal and interior, should see to it that the 

 Federal Horticultural Board, through Congress, is supplied with ample 

 funds for carrying on its work. It is to be regretted that the Board, 

 through no fault of its own, has never since its creation been able to 

 expand and develop its activities along the line of m.aritim.e port inspec- 

 tion to the extent which it undoubtedly desired and which it knew was 

 necessary to afford the protection needed. I m.ay be an enthusiast on 

 this subject but I am of the opinion that the Congress should place at 

 the disposal of the Federal Horticultural Board a quarter million 

 dollars or more annually in order that all ports of im.portance can be 

 properly safeguarded, this, too, irrespective of such efforts in the same 

 direction as border and coastal states m.ay m.ake. I am. of the further 

 opinion that the very best results can only be secured by a continuation 

 of the liberal policy of close cooperation between federal and state 

 forces, such as is now in existence in California and Florida, with this 

 difference, however, that the federal governm.ent should bear a greater 

 portion of the financial burden than heretofore. After all, this matter 

 of plant quarantine service is one of national concern rather than state 

 or sectional. 



