186 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



would of necessity be of shipments after they had been 

 assembled at the j)acking sheds. From the nurseryman's 

 standpoint, however, the situation would be quite different. 

 Until the passage of the United States law his relations had 

 been entirely with one set of officials, — the State Inspec- 

 tors. Hereafter he would have two different sets of inspec- 

 tors to provide for, working probably under different regula- 

 tions, and in many cases, at least, causing confusion and de- 

 lay at times in the year when shipments must be rushed to 

 the utmost capacity of the nursery, the shipping seasons being 

 very short. A large number of the leading nurserymen were 

 in Washington for the hearing, and a conference with them 

 was held for these reasons, to determine their attitude. It 

 was found that they were unanimously opposed to two sets of 

 inspections, being of the opinion that it would gi-eatly hamper 

 them in their work, and that they doubted if a government 

 inspection would be of any additional value. 



At the hearing itself, therefore, the attitude taken by the 

 nurserymen was that a second inspection by government in- 

 spectors would not only be unnecessary but would merely 

 put greater burdens on them with absolutely no benefit, and 

 the evidence they presented was wholly to the effect that 

 the State inspection was already as efficient as government 

 inspection could possibly be ; testimony confirming this posi- 

 tion was also offered by the officials of other States and of the 

 government itself. 



The decision of the Federal Horticultural Board, in 

 charge of the execution of the United States law when finally 

 rendered, was to the effect that stock originating within the 

 territory where the gypsy and brown-tail moths occur must 

 be inspected at time of shipment by government inspectors 

 and government permits issued. In Massachusetts, how- 

 ever, the State Inspectors have also been appointed govern- 

 ment inspectors and can issue the government permits. 



It is as yet too soon to determine how this plan will work. 

 During the five weeks in which it has been in operation few 

 difficulties have shown themselves, but it has to some degree 

 increased the expense to the State of the work, the require- 

 ment that all stock sent out being inspected after it has been 



