SUPPREi^SION OF INSECT PESTS AND PLANT DISEASES. 27 



Mr. Alwood. Section 8 provides that the Secretary of Agriculture 

 cau compel the iuspection and treatment of shi])ments from private 

 individuals, but I do not think we should leave the bars open to send 

 stock through the mail. 



Mr. BissELL. I move that we interpolate the word "fruit*' after the 

 word "scions." We certainly should be consistent and protect our- 

 selves against each other. 



Mr. Powell. 1 can not see how that will cover all these questions. 

 If we depend on individual certificate it does not amount to anything. 

 Every entomologist receives specimens of katydid eggs sent in for 

 San Jose scale from farmers who Avant to know if they should begin to 

 spray for the scale. If we rel}' on certificates from farmers and fruit 

 growers who can not tell the diiference between a katj^did egg and the 

 San Jose scale we shall not be very well off. 



Mr. Hooker. As I understand it, by the regulations of the Secre- 

 tary of Agriculture, persons sending out cuttings, scions, etc., would be 

 required to give them proper treatment before sending them out. That, 

 of course, would involve fumigation, no matter what kind of an insect 

 was on them, and it would be destroyed. 



Mr. Baery. If Mr. Alwood, for instance, sent to me for a small 

 (juantitj- of stock, would I have to get somebody to examine it first? 



Mr. Powell. Get authority to treat it. 



.Mr. Barry. Would I have to get a certificate from somebody ? If I 

 would have to go to all that trouble I would not fill the order. I would 

 simply tell Mr. Alwood that the goods were not in stock. 



Mr. Alwood. It is quite easy to reduce discussion to the absurd. 

 The committee realized how difficult it would be to make this measure 

 perfect. It is not perfect. Many absurd things will come up in every- 

 thing we undertake. I know that this individual treatmeiit is not diffi- 

 cult. I know Mr. Hood, of my State, is doing it under my direction. 

 It is not at all difficult to fumigate. Pegtilations properly drawn up 

 will permit individuals to fumigate in the best manner known. 



Mr. Barry. I was not joking about this individual case. It may 

 look absurd, but supposing we receive from the experiment stations 

 similar orders (and for a number of years we have been furnishing 

 exi)eriment stations all over the country with scions) sent at all seasons 

 of the year. Can we procure a blanket form from the authorities to do 

 that kind of thing? If we could not it would be foolish to attempt 

 to send any. 



Mr. Alwood. Under this law regulations may be made to provide 

 for this case with the utmost ease. The Secretary of Agriculture can 

 draw up regulations for that very thing. It is not difficult to treat 

 insects. It is very simple. It may be done in a few minutes. T did 

 not think you meant to l)e absurd. Your remark created a lauiili, and 

 it is eas3^ to laugh at anything. The committee struggled with this 

 matter a great deal. 



