DANGER OP SPREAD OP GIPSY AND BROWN-TAIL MOTHS. 13 



Holland probably presents the cleanest bill of health in the matter 

 of insect pests, and particularly of the gipsy moth and brown-tail 

 moth. This country enjoys a good inspection service, and all Dutch 

 nurseries are carefully inspected twice each year, so there is proba- 

 bly less danger now from shipments from Holland than from any 

 other country. 



Belgium, in 1909, was in very bad condition, and the writer foimd 

 the brown-tail moth more abimdant there than he had ever seen it, 

 hedge rows often being plastered with the winter nests. One such 

 row the writer noted was only a few miles from the border of Hol- 

 land and within easy flight of the moths to large Dutch nurseries. 

 Belgium has, however, since September, 1909, established an inspec- 

 tion service, applying only to nurseries exporting to America and 

 limited to field examination, twice yearly, of growing stock. While 

 a distinct improvement, the inspection as indicated is still inade- 

 quate, as shown by much infested stock still coming to this country 

 imder oflicial certificate. 



In France, in 1909, Dr. Howard found no governmental inspec- 

 tion system of nurseries. The certificates attached to shipments 

 of nursery stock received in this country from France were signed, 

 as a rule, by men connected with agricultural schools, and probably 

 in the case of most of the certificates the stock had never been seen 

 by the expert. The general infestation of the stock coming from 

 France to this country diiring the last two years made it abtmdantly 

 plain that these certificates were absolutely valueless. 



Dr. Howard found that nursery stock for export was in many 

 cases grown in the vicinity of hedges and trees infested with the 

 brown-taU moth and gipsy moth and other injurious insects not yet 

 introduced into the United States, and no special precautions were 

 being taken by the nurserymen to prevent the infestation of export 

 stock by injurious insects. The brown- tail moth nests are so char- 

 acteristic and noticeable that it is only by absolute indifference on 

 the part of French exporters that they are packed for shipment 

 without removal. 



As a result of the agitation of 1909, the French exporters promised 

 to take aU possible precautions, and the French ministry of agri- 

 culture promised to found a governmental inspection service. The 

 Chamber of Deputies, however, failed to pass the inspection law 

 proposed by the ministry of agriculture, and, as already noted, the 

 condition of the "inspected material" of 1910 was no better than 

 in the previous year. 



The director of agriculture of France, however, continued to urge 

 the need of a plant-inspection service for export nursery- stock, and 

 early in November of 1910 this- department was advised, through 

 the Department of State and the ambassador of France to the United 



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