April, '21] MONTGOMERY: FLORIDA PLANT QUARANTINE 199 



As to the net results of our efforts in Florida, the following brief 

 summary will perhaps serve: 



During the period from May 1, 1919 to April 30, 1920, over 4,500 

 vessels arriving at Florida ports were boarded and inspected — 2500 of 

 these from foreign ports. In round figures 350,000 packages were han- 

 dled during the year by our quarantine inspectors. Two thousand of 

 these were returned to shippers — 2,400 destroyed as dangerous. 



Pests from 19 foreign countries or possessions were prevented entry 

 during the year, the countries of origin as follows : 



One hundred and forty (140) different plant pests were discovered on 

 importations, some of these pests not now known in this country. A 

 number of these pests have occasioned great losses in the countries 

 where they are established and would no doubt occasion as great or 

 greater loss if introduced into the United States. Perhaps the most 

 notable interceptions from the standpoint of potential danger were black 

 fly, which has been intercepted on five occasions on material from Cuba 

 and the Bahamas. Jamaica yam weevil, which occasions great damage 

 to yams in Jamaica and other West Indian Islands, was found on a ship- 

 ment of yams from Jamaica via Cuba. This weevil is not known to be 

 present on the mainland and doubtless if introduced would occasion 

 tremendous loss to the sweet potato crop. No less than eight serious 

 insect pests not now known to be present in the United States were 

 intercepted by our inspectors. 



The Florida plant Board does not confine its protective efforts solely 

 to inspection. Complete equipment for the fumigation of fruit and 

 vegetable offerings from foreign countries are located at Key West and 

 Port Tampa. Each of these chambers will accommodate 700 standard 

 crates. During the active shipping season of the past summer and fall 

 over 50,000 crates or barrels of fruits and vegetables from Cuba were 

 treated. The treatment consists of hydrocyanic acid gas — lyi ounces of 

 sodium cyanide per 100 cubic feet of space. No damage to fruit has 

 been noted and no injury to consumers. The construction of these 

 fumigating plants well illustrates the relations between ourselves and 

 the transportation companies. When the necessity for treating ship- 

 ments of fruits and vegetables, particularly from Cuba was pointed out 

 to the carrying companies, together with out inat ility to provide suit- 

 able plants, the com.panies promptly undertook the construction and 

 equipment of same. 



