Vermont Botanical and Bird Club 19 



The law only mentions one disease specifically, San Jose scale, 

 but he also looks them over for root gall, crown gall, hairy root, blister 

 mite and gypsy moth. This control has undoubtedly been of lasting 

 service to Vermont horticulturalists in keeping these pests from getting 

 a foothold in the state. 



The international or federal quarantine derives its authority from 

 the Simmon's bill which became a law August 20, 1912. The federal 

 horticultural board, composed of five members, appointed by the United 

 States department of agriculture aids the responsible agent for the 

 enforcement. The law is directed against new and dangerous pests, 

 particularly on florists' and nurserymen's stock. A public hearing 

 is granted before a plant from another country or from a region of this 

 country is quarantined for a disease. Even if excluded for ordinary 

 purposes, plants may still be obtained for scientific and experimental 

 work but only after they have been duly inspected and certified. 



The quarantine notices issued so far have been against the importa- 

 tion of the potato from Canada and Europe on account of the powdery 

 scab prevalent there, and coniferous seedlings from Europe. There 

 have also been prohibitions against the shipping of potatoes from cer- 

 tain regions in Maine and New York unless they had been inspected 

 and certified. The work of this board is comparatively new and there 

 are many difficulties in its way but it is doing the country a service 

 that will be appreciated more in future years than it is now. 



SHORT-BILLED MARSH WREN AND HENSLOW 

 SPARROW AT CLARENDON. 



L. H. Potter. 



North of our house in Clarendon is a small marsh about 10 rods in 

 length by two rods wide, covered mainly with a thick growth of 

 calamus and tall marsh grass. 



It was on this marsh during the summer of 1913 that I discovered 

 the nest of one of our rarest birds; the short-billed marsh wren. 



The birds first made their appearance on the marsh on June 17, 

 and from that date until about July 10, when they were last seen, the 

 male's song could be heard almost incessantly at any time of day or 

 night, no matter what the weather. 



Their close proximity to the house afforded ample opportunity 

 for observing them, but so clever did they conceal their nesting opera- 



