Plant Pests and Legislation. 
131 
necessary as preliminary steps, will not in themselves he of the 
slightest avail in stopping its spread. 
At present, when outbreaks are discovered, the Board 
advise the grower to take certain precautions, but have no 
legal powers to prevent him from selling diseased “ seed.” 
The Irish Department of Agriculture have taken resolute 
steps. By virtue of an Order issued on October 1, 1908, 
entitled the “ ‘ Black Scab ’ in Potatoes (Ireland) Order of 
1908,” a grower, besides being required to notify the disease, 
is then required to adopt the following measures : — 
1. All diseased tubers and the haulms (if any) belonging 
thereto, as well as all packing material and packages at any 
time used for the storing or conveying of such potatoes, shall 
be immediately destroyed on the spot by burning or other 
effective method prescribed by the Department. 
2. No potatoes, or potato haulms, shall be removed, or be 
permitted to be removed, out of the area defined in the notice 
except with and subject to the conditions (if any) of a licence 
signed by an inspector of the Department or other authorised 
officer permitting such removal. 
3. Potatoes shall not be again planted or sown on the 
affected land without the sanction of the Department. 
4. No affected soil shall be removed from one part of a 
farm either to another part of the same farm, or to another 
farm, whether within or without the affected area. 
A further provision is also made as follows : — “ It shall not 
be lawful to land in Ireland any potatoes diseased, or suspected 
of being diseased, brought from any place out of Ireland.” 
Full powei‘3 of entry are given to inspectors of the Depart- 
ment, and penalties prescribed for offences against the Order. 
Among the latter may be noted that of failing “ to give to an 
inspector or other authorised officer, or to the Department 
when required to do so, information as to the place of origin 
of any potatoes diseased or suspected to be diseased.” 
In November last the “ Black Scab ” was first reported from 
Ireland. The following extract from a letter written by the 
Secretary to the Department of Agriculture for Ireland shows 
how the matter was dealt with : — “ I have to state that three 
cases of Black Scab in potatoes have been discovered in this 
country, and these cases were found in two districts situated on 
the east coast of County Down. All the diseased tubers have 
been destroyed in compliance with a notice served by the 
Department under the ‘ Black Scab in Potatoes (Ireland) 
Order, 1908.’” 
If Government had chosen to bring in and pass the Des- 
tructive Insects and Pests Act previously to 1901, our Board of 
Agriculture would have been placed in a position to have acted 
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