At that time the chairman and the sub-committee also made 
a visit to Dr. Marlatt, chairman of the Federal Horticultural 
Board. 
The question was then discussed as to the wisdom of the 
committee's being represented officially at the conference now 
scheduled for May 15. As our difficulties and differences of 
opinion had always been with Dr. Marlatt, it was the sense of 
the committee that it could not actively take part in this 
conference if it was presided over v by Dr. Marlatt, but that Mr. 
Seymour, Secretary of the Committee, should attend the confer- 
ence as an observer. 
Later it was found that Dr. Marlatt would not preside at the 
meeting but that Secretary Wallace or some disinterested person 
appointed by him would preside. In this case the committee was 
very glad to appear officially and Mr. McFarland asked that some 
one from each organization represented on it should go to Wash- 
ington and be present at the hearing. Mr. McFarland also asked 
that the Garden Club of America place in his hands letters 
which had been received by us from members describing delays 
and difficulties or refusals of permits from the Horticultural 
Board. These letters were sent to Mr. McFarland. 
It is only fair to add that some of the members who wrote us 
at this time explained that during the last few months the 
provisions of the Federal Board had been relaxed for them and 
one or two wrote that they had had no trouble whatever in 
importing the plants desired. One member who wrote in 
February that she had been most curtly refused a permit by the 
Horticultural Board, has written again saying that she has since 
been accorded such gracious treatment by the Federal Horti- 
cultural Board that it would be impossible for her now to write 
a letter of protest. There were, however, ten or a dozen letters 
from members describing their difficulties and urging reforms. 
The Committee on Horticultural Quarantine is extremely 
glad to find that the Federal Horticultural Board is relaxing 
some of its severe conditions and feels, not without some justifi- 
cation, that this relaxation is due in a large measure to its efforts. 
We are extremely fortunate in having had Mrs. F. B. Crown- 
inshield to represent the Garden Club op America at the hear- 
ing. She took with her the resolution of the Federated Clubs of 
Cincinnati which they had asked us to present and promised to 
add to this report a report of the conference. 
Quarantine The hearing before the Secretary of Agriculture in Washing- 
Hearing in ton in May was a much more imposing event than your delegate, 
Washington a t least, had anticipated. It was held in a large auditorium in 
the National Museum and lasted for twelve hours with two short 
intermissions. Secretary Wallace, as presiding judge, sat in the 
center of the stage with Dr. Marlatt (the reputed cause of all 
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