FORESTER'S REPORT. 85 



sured that provision is made for every trouble connected with 

 their trees and woodlands. Inquiries are invited to the end that 

 the injury and loss which unquestionably still goes on may be 

 avoided. 



The effort to secure a National law to control the importation 

 and distribution of diseased and insect infested plants has thus 

 far been unsuccessful. It is perfectly clear that no State can 

 fully protect itself against this danger on account of the oper- 

 ation of Federal laws regarding interstate traffic. We must, 

 therefore, depend upon the National Government to do what is 

 required. From its position New Jersey is constantly exposed 

 to the danger of infection from abroad, and the best efforts of 

 its State Entomologist and State Plant Pathologist can be only 

 measureably successful so long as the present laws are unaltered. 

 The need for immediate action by Congress is shown in a paper 

 prepared by Mir. C. L. Marlatt, Assistant Entomologist in the 

 United States Department of Agriculture, and published as a 

 part of the report of the Committee on Agriculture to the House 

 of Representatives.* In this paper it is said : 



"Fully 50 per cent, of the important injurious insect pests in this country 

 are of foreign origin. Many, if not all, of these pests could have been kept 

 out. or their spread much checked, if proper quarantine legislation had been 

 available. The gypsy moth and brown-tail moth in Massachusetts and portions 

 of other New England States are now costing those States, in expenditures 

 merely in efforts at control, not counting damage at all, upward of a million 

 dollars a year. In addition to this the National Government is appropriating 

 $300,000 a year in controlling these pests along the highways. In spite of these 

 efforts and this enormous expenditure, these insects are still slowly spreading 

 and great damage is done yearly to woodlands, private grounds, and orchards. 

 The dissemination of these two pests over the whole United States, as is ex- 

 tremely likely under present conditions, would entail a like cost throughout 

 the country. 



In addition to the danger of importing these insect pests is the risk of 

 bringing in new and dangerous plant diseases. Two illustrations of this 

 danger only will be mentioned, but there are many others equally important. 

 First may be noted a new disease of the potato known as the 'potato wart/ 

 which there is grave risk of establishing in this country. The other disease 

 is the 'white pine blister rust,' which has caused enormous losses in Europe, 

 particularly to nursery stock. Both of these diseases are examples of dangers 

 which can be prevented only by an absolute quarantining of the infested 

 foreign districts so far as importations therefrom to this country of these 

 particular products are concerned. The actual value of the importations of 

 nursery stock which are thus jeopardizing the entire fruit and forest interests 

 of this country is comparatively small although doubtless important from the 

 standpoint of the nurserymen." 



* Report No. 1858, Sixty-first Congress, Third Session, pages 7-12. 



