2 Department Circular 323, U. S. Dept. of Agriculture 



bringing neAV ones to our shores. To guard against their entrance, 

 the Department of Agriculture, through the Federal Horticultural 

 Board, has developed an elaborate system of quarantine and inspec- 

 tion. Everything in the way of plant material brought in by the 

 Office of Foreign Seed and Plant Introduction from remote or little- 

 known regions is rigidly inspected and held, if necessary, until it is 

 certain that all potential dangers have been removed. It is highly 

 impoilant, therefore, in selecting material for the use of the depart- 

 ment that it be clean. Clean plant material and clean seeds will go 

 far in assuring safety during a long journey and will remove many of 

 the hazards incident to rigid inspection and the necessary treatments 

 that must be given if the material is found to be infested with insects 

 or affected Avith some serious disease. One of the functions of a plant 

 introducer, however, is to meet these difficulties and to overcome 

 them, for we must continue to bring in new crop plants if our 

 agriculture is to be maintained on a satisfactory permanent basis. 



IMPORTANCE OF PROPER RECORDS 



Labels or marks of identification are of very great importance in 

 all shipments of plant material. Whenever practicable, each pack- 

 age should be provided with two labels, one on the inside and one on 

 the outside. The label should give (1) both the common and botani- 

 cal names of the plant if possible. (2) place where collected, (3) date 

 of collection, and (4) name of collector. 'NA^ien the botanical name 

 of a i)lant is not known, the common or local name often gives a clue 

 to its botanical name and proA^es useful in determining the best way 

 to handle the material. A name often opens the way to other facts 

 which may prove extremely helpful in handling the material and 

 determining Avhere to place it to the best advantage. 



The Office of Foreign Seed and Plant Introduction has developed a 

 thorough system of recording every plant introduction made by in- 

 dividuals througli the Government. It is highly important that 

 these records be as complete as practicable. Collectors are there- 

 fore urged to send in by nuiil as full a description of the plant, its 

 uses, methods of culture, etc., as it is possible to secure. Photographs 

 are always helpful and will enable the department to handle satis- 

 factorily new plant iuimigrants. These descriptions are published, 

 and full credit is given to every introducer of a new plant. The 

 Office of Foreign Seed and Plant Introduction has already published 

 72 inventones, covering something ovor 5.800 pages, 

 descriptions of plant material sent in. 



PACKING DRY AND DORMANT SEEDS 



Dry and dormant seeds, such as soybeans, cowpeas, ordinary beans, 

 and peas; cereals, including wheat, oats, barley, rye, maize, and rice; 

 also all dry vegetable seeds, like lettuce, cabbage, and melons of all 

 kinds, are comparatively easy to handle, especially if packed in 

 small lots. It is important that the seeds be fresh, clean, free from 

 weed seed and trash, and thoroughly dry before packing. One of 

 the best methods of packing these seeds is to place them in strong 

 cotton sacks. Suitable sacks in pint, quart, 2-quart and 4-quart 

 sizes are furnished by the Office of Foreion Seed and Plant Intro- 



