freighters. Also, commercial shipments of plants and plant prod- 
ucts, livestock, and animal products are likewise not yet entering 
tothe point of creating a difficult problem. It is expected, however, 
that the development of new and enlarged facilities now under way 
will attract additional shipping into lakeports. The Division is plan- 
ning accordingly. 
Extending first line of defense, Significant progress was made dur- 
ing the year in extending the first line of defense against the entry 
of foreign plant pests into foreign areas through international co- 
operation. The normal ''first line'' is the inspection and related 
activities of some 500 Division inspectors stationed at the various 
ports of entry, augmented materially by the assistance of other 
official agencies and the public, acting individually and as groups. 
The finding of khaprabeetle infested ships inSt. Lawrence Seaway 
ports gave impetus tothe initiation of a day by day exchange of in- 
formation between the Plant Quarantine Division and the Canadian 
Plant Protection Division on khapra beetle findings in international 
commerce. As this program developed the Defensa de Agricola of 
Mexico became a participant. 
The spread of the Mediterranean fruitfly in Central America was 
also responsible for specific international efforts, in this instance 
to prevent anorthward spreadvia air traffic and the Inter-American 
Highway. This involved conferences between representatives of the 
Plant Quarantine Division and the Defensa de Agricola of Mexico. 
At the request of the Mexican Government a Division inspector who 
speaks Spanish fluently was temporarily assigned to Mexico City 
to initiate a plant quarantine training program. This will result in 
mutual protection of the two countries. Additional assistance in 
preventing the Mediterranean fruitfly was afforded by the United 
Nations through its Food and Agriculture area office in Costa Rica. 
The FAO Costa Rican headquarters, with some technical advice 
from the Plant Quarantine Division, sponsored discussions which 
lead to a strengthening of plant quarantine legislation in several 
Central American countries. 
During the year the Division continued its practice of communicating 
with the appropriate authorities of various countries, as conditions 
required, regarding interpretations of regulations, specific prob- 
lems of pest risk, and associated matters, in order that the com- 
merce in plant and plant products into and from the United States 
might flow with a maximum of security against plant pest dissemi- 
nation and the practical minimum of regulatory impediments. 
