February, '14] WASHBURN: ADMINISTRATION OF INSPECTION LAW 123 



suggestion was based upon the fact that to print the entire certificate 

 on a small tag to accompany a small parcel-post shipment is embarrass- 

 ing, occupying as it does, so much room; and a needless expense — - 

 calling for a tag sometimes really larger than the package itself. He 

 would much prefer a small tag with firm name, caution as regards 

 frost and heat, and the above stamp, leaving plenty of room thereby 

 for postage. This would be a convenience and a saving and might 

 be done upon intrastate shipments in Minnesota, for the law (another 

 point to be criticized) reads "accompanied by a certificate of inspec- 

 tion" and not "copy of certificate"; but we have pointed out to this 

 party that the wording of the laws of most of the other states and the 

 Avording of the federal law is such as to require an actual copy of certi- 

 ficate granted. 



A prominent firm in Minneapolis has recently received, from a New 

 York firm, a consignment of 2,000 roses largely or entirely infested 

 with crown gall, reported by our Plant Pathology Division as identical 

 with crown gall of the apple. This package was accompanied by a 

 copy of a New York certificate. 



We pointed out to a representative of the firm receiving the roses 

 the dangers of using these plants and he, of his own initiative, refused 

 to accept them, and the firm referred to has had them returned, writing 

 us an indignant letter to the effect that they had never known crown 

 gall to infest roses; that the theory of its being contagious was still in 

 doubt, that these roses did not come from their own grounds and 

 hence they had not seen them, and stating finally that, since these 

 plants were to be potted and used for forcing and then thrown away 

 and not planted in other grounds, there could not, by any possibility, 

 be a chance of sound rose plants being infested. 



In writing them I deemed it necessary to contradict several of their 

 statements particularly the last, for it is quite a common practice to 

 plant these forced rose bushes outside, in the spring, where they thrive, 

 blossoming every year. Had the consignees not refused to take them, 

 or had the New York firm left them in Minnesota, we should have de- 

 stroyed the consignment. Now. some state may receive this same lot. 

 Is there any inspector here willing to permit them to remain in his 

 territory? This really presents no problem, yet I mention it here 

 desiring to know what action would have been taken by other inspect- 

 ors under similar circumstances. 



