14 BULLETIN 81, Lf. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



by the United States. This may be done by a decree prohibiting the 

 exportation to the United States of potatoes not grown in the country 

 taking the action. 



CERTIFICATE OF INSPECTION. 



No potatoes are to be admitted to the United States under the new 

 regulations unless they are accompanied by a certificate issued by an 

 official authorized of the country of origin, stating that they were 

 grown in a specified disease-free district or locality, that they have 

 been inspected by him and found free from dangerous insects and 

 plant diseases, and that they are packed in containers that have 

 never been used for potatoes. An original certificate of this nature 

 must accompany the invoice when presented at the customs office, 

 and a copy of the certificate must be attached to each sack, barrel, 

 or other container. Provision is made for bulk carload shipments, 

 but not as yet for wagonloads hauled across the border. 



INSPECTION ON ARRIVAL. 



Shipments will not be released from customs until inspected by a 

 representative of the Federal Horticultural Board and found free from 

 dangerous diseases. If powdery scab or wart is discovered the ship- 

 ment must be exported or destroyed. 



The most important safeguard provided is the limitation of imports 

 to potatoes grown hi disease-free districts or countries and the foreign 

 inspection and certification. The port of entry inspection in the 

 United States serves as a check on these, but is not a sufficient means 

 in itself, for the reasons already stated and because only a portion of 

 each shipment can be carefully looked over without maintaining an 

 army of inspectors. 



LIMITATION OF PORTS OF ENTRY. 



The right is reserved under the new regulations to restrict importa- 

 tions of potatoes to ports of entry named by the Federal Horticultural 

 Board when the permit is granted. It is manifestly impossible to 

 maintain an inspection service at each customs office, and at the out- 

 set it is probable that entries will be allowed regularly only at New 

 York and Boston, with the exception of special cases where it proves 

 feasible to have inspections made elsewhere. By far the greater part 

 of the potatoes imported in past years have come to the port of New 

 York. Permits must be secured in advance of importation in all 

 cas( s. 



ADDITIONAL SAFEGUARDS. 



If inspection at the port of entry shows that potatoes are infected 

 with the wart disease or with powdery scab or other injurious plant 

 diseases, or with injurious insect pests, the shipments will be refused 



