February, '11] ENTOMOLOGISTS' proceedings . 11 



the nurserymen likewise were there, and the rank and file of the im- 

 porters of stock were present at the hearing. It developed that the 

 nurserymen opposed the bill, particularly one section of it which gave 

 power to the Secretary of Agriculture to quarantine against any in- 

 fested section in Europe. Hearings were given these parties, but on 

 account of the rush of business in Congress, it being toward the end of 

 the session, the bill was not brought to a vote. I have learned that 

 toward the close of the session an agreement was made to cut out the 

 objectionable section — Section 8 — and it was thought the measure 

 would go through, but there seems to have been some hitch in the 

 matter even after that, so it was promised that this bill will be taken 

 up immediately after the holidays. As far as I know this section has 

 not been taken out of the bill, and I would simply recommend to t^e 

 Association that a committee be appointed to take up the matter 

 energetically, as it seems the time has arrived when we should act ir- 

 respective of the nurserymen, but not necessarily be antagonistic to 

 them, that is to say, invite their support, but at all odds, push the 

 matter with every means at our command. I think there is a big op- 

 portunity for this Association to make a name for itself in securing 

 this legislation. 



Secretary Burgess: I move the report of the committee be ac- 

 cepted and a committee be appointed by the chair, as suggested in the 

 report just submitted. Carried. 



Mr. J. B. Smith: I want to add just a word to what Mr. Symons 

 has said. I was present at that hearing, and the impression that was 

 left upon me at that time was that the nurserymen did not want a bill. 

 They took the ground that they objected to it on account of the quar- 

 antine section, but after the department yielded to them and was 

 ready to take out the quarantine section they began looking for other 

 features to criticise, and I have not the slightest doubt they did not 

 want any bill at all. I think we might just as well go ahead and look 

 after our own interests, and let the nurserymen look out for themselves, 

 and I would suggest that we indorse the bill as a whole, including the 

 quarantine section. The reason is that while we as entomologists can 

 look after our end of the problem, the matter is decidedly serious from 

 the point of view of the plant pathologist. There are a number of 

 plant diseases that cannot be recognized at the time of importation. 

 Take the white pine blister rust, for instance, and other diseases which 

 are absolutely impossible of recognition in early stages, and the only 

 protection we have against their introduction is a rigid quarantine in 

 sections of Europe or other countries where the disease is known, and 

 without sections the bill is useless. 



Mr. Symons: I neglected to mention the great help that both 



