52 THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 



of Agriculture. They are then examined by a representa- 

 tive of the Department of Agriculture, who reports to the 

 Washington office the breed, sex, age. color, and markings. 

 In case the data on the foreign certificate does not agree 

 'with the animal imported, the certificate of pure breeding 

 will not be issued. Where all papers are found to be satis- 

 factory, the certificate of pure breeding is sent to the col- 

 lector of customs, and the foreign certificate is authenticated 

 and returned to the importer.^ 



The enforcement of the various laws which have been en- 

 acted to prevent the importation and the exportation of dis- 

 eased animals, animal products, and plants requires the 

 closest cooperation between the officials of the Department 

 of Agriculture and those of the Treasury Department. As 

 the Department of Agriculture has no regular corps of port 

 inspectors, it must rely very largely upon Treasury officials 

 for primary information regarding shipments. 



The prevalence of dangerous animal diseases in countries 

 from which the United States obtains hides, and other ani- 

 mal by-products, was the occasion for the recent issue of 

 what is known as Treasury Department and Department of 

 Agriculture Joint Order No. i, entitled, "Regulations gov- 

 erning the certification and disinfection of hides, fleshings, 

 hide cuttings, parings, and glue stock, sheep-skins and goat- 

 skins and parts thereof, hair, wool, and other animal by- 

 products, hay, strawy forage or similar material offered for 

 entry into the United States."^ It provides for the careful 

 handling of the various products mentioned and their disin- 

 fection under official supervision, cither at the port of entry 

 or at the point of destination. 



Such regulations as these are binding upon tlic officials of 

 both departments issuing them; and have, of course, the 

 same force as the law upon which they are predicated. 



The work of collecting and introducing into the United 

 States specimens of foreign plants and animals, which was 



2 Act of Aup. 5. 1909, ,36 Stat. L. 11. 



"This Joint Order is dated Oct. 21, 1916, effective Jan. I, 1917. 



