Vol. VI, No. 3.] INSECT LIFE. ["Issued February. 1894. 
SPECIAL NOTES. 
Quarantine against injurious Insects. — At the Fruit- growers' Conven- 
tion , held at Los Angeles, Cal., recently, an important paper, entitled 
u Suggestions on Quarantine," was read by Mr. Alexander Craw. The 
importance of effective quarantine was elaborated in connection with a 
brief review of the history of fruit-growing in California. It was shown 
that California is now importing fruits, trees, shrubs, plants, and seeds 
from Europe, Australia, China, Japan, South Sea Islands, South and 
Central America, and other localities, and that hardly a vessel arrives in 
the west coast ports which does not bring such objects, many of which 
are infested with some insect or fungus pest. The present quarantine 
regulations of California have been formulatedby the State Board of 
Horticulture, under the authority of the act organizing the Board. The 
first and, perhaps, the most necessary of these regulations reads as fol- 
lows: "All consignees, agents, or other persons shall, within twenty- 
four hours, notify the Local Inspector or Quarantine Guardian of the 
arrival of any trees, plants, buds, seeds, pits, or scions at the first point 
of debarkation in the State of California." This regulation, as Mr. Craw 
points out, is a very good one, but fails of its effect for the reason that 
no penalty is attached to its violation. It is, therefore, ineffective, and 
throws the entire burden of discovery upon the vigilance of the local 
inspectors. At the Cape of Good Hope, however, a quarantine law is 
in operation giving the Governor power to provide by proclamation for 
protection against the importation and spread of pests, and providing 
a penalty for its contravention in a fine not exceeding five hundred 
pounds sterling, with the alternative of imprisonment at hard labor not 
to exceed two years. This law, if enforced, will certainly prove efficient, 
and Mr. Craw recommends the adoption of similar legislation in Cali- 
fornia. 
He also advises the erection of fumigating houses at such railroad 
stations as receive shipments of fruit trees and fruit packages. These 
stations should be provided with facilities for retaining the infested 
stock until the local inspector can assure himself that it is free from 
dangerous pests. The opinion of Judge McKinley upon the validity 
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