microscope. He explained that these cysts were found in traces of Euro- 
pean soil removed from wheels or chassis of their importations, and that 
cars contaminated with foreign soil, if allowed to roll through farm 
country, could transfer the nematodes into our soil--a threat greatly 
feared by potato and tomato growers. 
STORIES MAKE POINTS 
Experiences of quarantine officers provide many stories that make 
points in explaining the protective system, These are a few from recent 
years: 
Fast teamwork by the U.S. Navy helped round up a swarm of pest- 
infested stuffed alligators when four destroyers reached Norfolk, Va., from 
a South American cruise. A U.S. plant quarantine officer who boarded the 
first destroyer for his tour of inspection noticed a souvenir alligator from 
Colombia in one compartment, and found that it was stuffed with seed 
cotton and rice hulls, At his request, officers of the four destroyers 
quickly announced by bulletin boards and public address system: '‘Turn in 
all alligators.’’ From 200 alligators, 45 pounds of stuffing were removed, 
found to be insect-infested, and burned. If not cleaned up, the souvenirs 
could have carried to different parts of the country several kinds of rice 
pests and the pink bollworm that wrecks cotton. 
Scientists are not always aware of their responsibilities when acquir- 
ing foreign wild life. A New York museum curator found on his desk one 
morning a huge foreign beetle in a tin can, with no permit and no sign of 
how it arrived. He identified the live specimen as one of Africa's Goliath 
beetles that grow to 4-inches in length, and made the giant a featured 
exhibit under glass, near the museum entrance, At this point, he learned 
that the foreign beetle required clearance papers, and he applied for and 
obtained a permit to keep it alive in secure captivity. 
A helping hand is given by USDA inspection officers, whenever 
possible, in solving import problems. A half-case of sweet limes from 
Guatemala that arrived at New Orleans for port clearance was marked 
RUSH and EXPEDITE FOR MEDICAL PURPOSES. But the agent had no 
permit--only telegrams explaining that the fruit was ordered fora 
Philadelphia woman as a life-saving aid, A phone call to the Philadelphia 
doctor confirmed the urgency of speed, andtheagent was given permission 
to extract the juice at the plant quarantine station. Using a hand squeezer 
from his home, the agent extracted a gallon of juice and dispatched it by 
plane the same night, 
Not realizing that a few coffee twigs and berries were a pest risk, a 
school teacher returning to Miami, Fla., from Brazil failed to declare 
this small exhibit, which she planned to show to her class, The inspector 
who found the berries pointed out Medfly larvae in them, and explained the 
trouble they could spread. 
Inspectors are always alert for smugglers. The x-ray eye ofa 
detectorscope used in customs inspection has revealed sausage crammed 
into an olive oil can brought from Italy. There is always a possibility that 
such meat may be contaminated with diseases that our animals do not 
have. 
Li, 
