"'jTnF- 



YH' yy-jY^^ Tvt^^r^ f". 



MAT 18, 1922 



The Florists^ Review 



35 



new or dangerous pests with such ship- 

 ments is practically nil. 



But if the board considers such dras- 

 tic remedies necessary, why not apply 

 them to similar products not used by 

 florists f Why discriminate against flo- 

 rists f Why exclude nearly all varieties 

 of flowering bulbs without also exclud- 

 ing onions and all other bulbs not used 

 by ilorists? Quarantine 37 places no 

 restrictions whatsoever on the importa- 

 tion ol field, vegetable or flower seeds; 

 HO why regulate and restrict the impor- 

 tation of palm seeds used by florists 

 without also regulating the importa- 

 tion of all other seeds, representing 

 ninety-eight per cent of total seed im- 

 ports f Why exclude a few valuable 

 orchid plants when the same ship brings 

 in 40,000 bunches of bananas collected 

 in the same forest? And why exclude, 

 even on special permits, living plants 

 which require a little soil to protect the 

 roots while allowing shiploads of soil or 

 earth arriving as ships' ballast to be 

 dumped on our shores? 



Economic Views Differ. 



The florists' trade is heartily in ac- 

 cord with this board in carrying out the 

 purpose for which it was created, but 

 when the board gets into economic or 

 tariff fields no two florists think alike, 

 for no two are affected alike, and some 

 florists, and nurserymen, too, undoubt- 

 edly are benefited by the exclusion of 

 plant products which compete with what 

 they produce. As in all trades, there are 

 selfish men in ours; a florist who grows 

 only one variety of narcissus is bene- 

 fited by the exclusion of all other varie- 

 ties of narcissus, and indeed of all other 

 bulbs, while a florist who grows only 

 geraniums or bedding plants is benefited 

 by the exclusion of all plant products — 

 but does such exclusion benefit the 

 United States, or even the majority of 

 florists? Every bit of comment that is 

 favorable to quarantine 37 we have 

 heard or read from trade members treats 

 only of the economic protection it gives 

 them from competition; not one com- 

 mends it for the protection it was de- 

 signed to give from pests. This seems 

 conclusive to us that quarantine 37 is 

 considered an economic measure; we 

 contend that economic protection is not 

 included in the functions of this board 

 — that it is purely a tariff proposition. 



Hundreds of varieties excluded by 

 quarantine 37 are not being commer- 

 cially produced in this country, while 

 the cost of production of other hundreds 

 will prevent their quantity sale when 

 produced. Home production should be 

 encouraged and protected in every legit- 

 imate way, but by tlie tariff, not by this 

 board. The tariff bill now before tht> 

 Senate provides duties more than double 

 those now in effect, which will give home 

 production all the protection it needs, 

 especially when it is considered that 

 prices in Europe are approximately three 

 times what they were prior to quaran- 

 tine 37, and it will be many years before 

 an adequate supply of necessities is 

 again available. Summarizing our de- 

 ductions, we submit to the Department 

 of Agriculture these recommendations: 



1. We recommend that quarantine 37 l>e with- 

 nrawn; it Is Indefensible even as an economic 

 measure. This will end the iniquitous system of 

 special permits," which Is unfair, un-Ameri- 

 can and discrlmlnatoo-, since the board not only 

 decides which variety may be Imported and In 

 ^«i. "^sntlty, hut by which firms or indlvld- 

 foH ; I * submit that no firm should be permlt- 

 n^t ^J"J^/l*''« """^ "fofk that another firm la 

 not permitted to Import— we need not comment 



2v.fim jI'I **'"* ''«° «^^ "P under such a 

 K.iBiem. ir there are any varieties of plants In 



James McHutchison. 



(Chairman of the S. A. F. Committee on Tariff and Legislatluu.) 



quarantine 37 which carry a real risk of intro- 

 ducing a "dangerous pest new or not widely 

 prevalent" in this country, the danger can be 

 met effectively by specific quarantines, as the 

 law Intended. 



2. We further recommend the establishment 

 at entry ports, especially at New York to begin 

 with, of an inspection station where all imports 

 of plants and plant products (excluding bulbs 

 and seeds) will get adequate inspection. The 

 cost of this station and its maintenance will rep- 

 resent but a small fraction of what quarantine 

 .S7 costs the country in loss of customs duties 

 on excluded products each season. 



3. We recommend that the board make acces- 

 sible, to persons legitimately interested, infor- 

 mation with regard to the special permits that 

 have been issued since quarantine 37 was promul- 

 gated, stating the Class or variety of plant 

 products, the quantity, the name of the im- 

 porter and the country of origin. Secrecy in 

 such matters invites charges of discrimination 

 and favoritism in the issuance of special permits. 



4. Should the board contemplate quarantining 

 additional items after withdrawing quarantine 

 37, it is urged that the notice of hearing state 

 precisely (not vaguely) which variety or varie- 

 ties it is proposed to quarantine, and from which 

 country or locality, so that the trade may have 

 a chance to present its views In accordance with 

 the intent of the law. 



There is no doubt that with a little 

 good will and cooperaticu on the part 

 (it the board, these recommendations e;in 

 he made the basis for regulations povor- 

 inor the importation of plant products 

 that will give adequate protoi.tioii 

 against the introduction of new or dan- 

 gerous plant pests without prohibit ini;' 

 the importation of necessary plant mate- 

 rials. This country cannot give a <;unr- 

 antee of absolute freedom from pests for 

 our outgoing shipments and we should 

 not demand it on our incoming ship- 

 ments. 



The florists want a tariff high enough 

 to discourage importation of all but the 

 new and expensive varieties of gladioli, 

 freesias, ficus, hydrangeas, dwarf roses 

 and all other classes of plant products 

 tliat can be commercially produced in 

 this country, but we cannot ask this 

 board to cooperate with us on tariff 



matters, even though this committee is 

 also the tariff committee; so our recom- 

 mendations on economic protection have 

 gone to Congress, as we feel that it is 

 not the function of this board to decide 

 such matters. 



In this statement we refer only to 

 greenhouse products or plant materials 

 used by florists, carefully refraining 

 from referring to "nursery stock" (as 

 the term is understood in trade circles), 

 as we leave recommendations on that 

 subject entirely to the nurserymen. 



PRESENT AT F. H. B. HEARING. 



(Concluded from page' 33.) 



Van Slagteren. Dr. E., Netherlands state phyto- 

 pathologist for the bulb district. Holland. 



Van Poetren, N., chief phytoputliological service, 

 Holland. 



Van Zanten, G. A., of Van Zautcii & Co., Hille- 

 gom, Holland. 



Vaughan, J. C, president Vaughan's Seed Store, 

 Chicago and New York. 



Van Waghendonk, William J,, agent for United 

 States of the General Bulb Co., Vogelenzang, 

 Holland. 



Verholen, George F., Verlialeii Nursery O., 

 Scottsvllle, Tex. 



Waite, M. B., bureau of plant industry. 



Watson, John, Princeton, N. J. 



Weiss, Harry B., New Jerse.v department of 

 agriculture. 



White, E. A., Cornell University, Ithaca, N. Y. 



Wilson, B. N., executive secretary agricultural 

 legislative committee of California. 



Woodbury, C. G., director bureau of raw prod- 

 ucts research. National Cauners' .Association, 

 Washington, D. C. 



Wright, Blchardson, editor House and Garden. 

 New York. 



Yerkes, Guy K., assistant iiathologist, Deiwirt- 

 ment of Agriculture. 



Young, J. A., secretary Illinois State Nursery- 

 men's -Association, Aurora, 111. 



Young, John, secretary S. .\. F., New York. 



Willmax, Minn.— H. E. Croak, who up 

 to a year and a half ago was proprietor 

 of the Williams Greenhouses, is laying 

 plans to enter the trade again in the near 

 future. 



