152 



AMERICAN FORESTRY 



on all importations of plants with earth about the roots, 

 to be enacted as soon as possible, and that a three-year 

 period be allowed for the importation of the classes of 

 nursery stock outlined above, after which all further 

 importations should be prohibited, except importations 

 by the United States Department of Agriculture of such 

 nursery stock as is deemed desirable by said department 

 this to be grown and propagated under quarantine for a 

 reasonable period before distribution. This proposition 

 doubtless, even though quite lenient, will be opposed 

 strongly by many importers, but the question to be 

 considered is whether we shall continue to permit the 

 importation of a few thousand dollars' worth of plants, any 

 shipment of which may bring in a dangerous pest, which 

 ultimately may cost the country millions every year. 



Is it not appalling, in consideration of the long list 

 of imported pests now established in this country, when we 

 learn that $14,293,500 has been spent in New England 

 by Massachusetts and other infested states, with the 

 Federal Government assisting, to prevent the spread of 



the gypsy moth? These 

 figures do not take into 

 account the immensedam- 

 age to forests, woodlands, 

 private and public prem- 

 ises, nor the amounts of 

 money spent privately for 

 control of this pest. It 

 would be absurd to at- 

 tempt an approximate 

 estimate of the total cost 

 and losses entailed in this 

 country by the introduc- 

 tion of the San Jose" scale 

 about 1870. The futility 

 of attempts on a large 

 'scale to control an insect 

 pest or a disease, which has 

 once gained a firm foot- 

 hold in this country, is ap- 

 parent, for in no case have 

 any such attempts suc- 

 ceeded in this country, nor 

 will they ever succeed 

 under the present system of 

 government, unless very 

 broad, comprehensive 

 power is given to some 

 official board. Our exper- 

 iences of the past show 

 that the actions taken for 

 control are usually several 

 years behind the advance 

 of the pest. 



The establishment of 

 an embargo on "finished 

 plant products " would 

 place in the hands of our 

 legitimate nurserymen and 

 growers the very business 



in which they are concerned, and would eliminate the 

 present baneful system whereby nursery stock of doubtful 

 origin, variety and quality is sold by brokers, dealers and 

 commission houses everywhere. Much of this stock is 

 shipped to this country to be sold on consignment or at 

 auction, and it is oftentimes of such poor quality that it 



EUROPEAN POPLAR CANKER 



Thil disease, recently imported from 

 Europe, is doing serious damage to the 

 poplar trees of the eastern section of 

 this country and is spreading westward. 



CHESTNUT BLIGHT CANKERS ON AMERICAN CHESTNUT 



This disease has practically exterminated the chestnut trees of this country 

 and has caused losses of millions despite efforts to save the trees. 



should have been placed on the brush pile in foreign coun- 

 tries. The nurserymen of this country have done little to 

 protect themselves against this practice, but as a matter of 

 fact the step has been taken for them by an agreement 

 recently signed by all but five of the growers and exporters 

 in Holland, binding them to prevent further shipment of 

 nursery stock for sale at auction in this country. 



Adam Smith in his valuable treatise, "The Wealth of 

 Nations," says, "By restraining, either by high duties 

 or by absolute prohibitions, the importation of such goods 

 from foreign countries as can be produced at home, the 

 monopoly of the home market is more or less secured to 

 the domestic industry employed in producing them. " 



Destruction of the nursery and florist's business would 

 not follow the adoption of a limited embargo as out- 



