218 JOURNAL OF ECONOMIC ENTOMOLOGY [Vol. 10 



The secretary of agriculture and the secretary of the treasury, 

 by the provision of the Quarantine Act, cooperate through the custom 

 service in notifications of receipt of plants from abi'oad. This exten- 

 sive cooperation involves directly or indirectly nearly 3,000 customs 

 employees. 



The writer, appointed in April, 1914, as representative of the 

 Federal Board at this port, has been in close association with the 

 custom service, and has learned the various avenues of receipt and the 

 methods of guarding the various importations. Entry clerks scrutinize 

 the invoices and records and number the entries and assess the duties. 

 In the case of imported plants the entry clerks require the importer 

 to furnish certificate of inspection from the country of origin. Irregu- 

 larities, such as lack of certificates of inspection and permits, are 

 referred by the entry clerks to the pathological inspector for instruc- 

 tions. All entry of nursery stock from countries not listed as operating 

 an inspection service are opened at the docks, or in public stores, for 

 immediate inspection. 



Through the instrumentality of delivery permits and the custom 

 inspectors we are able to prevent the release of nursery stock until all 

 requirements have been met. 



Small personal importations of nursery stock are -handled through 

 the appraiser, and are examined after having received notification 

 from this officer. Frequently plants which are brought in as baggage 

 by passengers arriving from all parts of the world are discovered, and 

 inspected by authority of the surveyor of the port. Notices in printed 

 form for distribution to passengers, warning them concerning the 

 importation of living plants, have been distributed, and these doubtless 

 will soon reduce the number of importations by passengers. 



Importations of potatoes entering this port in 1913-14 were inspected 

 to ascertain the presence of powdery scab and potato wart disease. 

 These arrived by the thousands of sacks and crates from Holland, 

 Belgium, Denmark and Sweden. Powdery scab was discovered in 

 numerous shipments, as well as an abundance of the more common 

 potato diseases. No evidence' of potato wart, however, was dis- 

 covered. 



Since the outbreak of the European War the importation of potatoes 

 has entirely ceased. In the meantime powdery scab was discovered in 

 Maine, and Quarantine No. 14 was issued, prohibiting the movement 

 of potatoes from that state excepting after Federal certification. 



Attempts were made to ship potatoes from United States ports to 

 Cuba and other West Indian points, and also to South America. 

 Carelessness in selection of potatoes caused their arrival in some 

 cases at points of destination in very poor condition, and our markets 

 were therebj^ injured. 



