our troubles) and the other members of the Federal Horti- 
cultural Board on either side of him. Ranged before him were 
fully 150 people — all men except the delegate of the Garden 
Club of America. There were representatives of all the Plant 
Societies and Horticultural Magazines — every catalog one can 
think of in human guise, Federal Horticultural Agents from 
nearly every state, a delegation of twenty men from England, 
Belgium, Holland and France, who had come over expressly to 
attend the hearing, representatives of the "Wheat Growers 
Association, the Straw Trade Association, the Citrus Fruit 
Growers, etc. 
The Secretary opened the meeting by saying this hearing 
had been called to give everyone an opportunity to state their 
views and to see what, if any, modifications should be made. 
Dr. Marlatt presented the case for the Board, saying that a less 
rigorous quarantine would be impossible to enforce and that it 
would be criminal to expose this country to new pests in order 
principally to gratify the vanity of a few amateurs. Mr. Mc- 
Farland and Mr. Burrage in their speeches brought out the 
point that the Federal Horticultural Board was exceeding its 
powers, that Congress in creating it had no intention of having 
it assume the functions of a Tariff Board and that many of its 
decrees were illegal. 
A representative of the Florists' Association said that it was 
causing great hardship to their trade and that their business 
was quite distinct from the nurserymen, who of course had made 
a great deal of money since the embargo, while they Avere being 
ruined. 
The State agents, nurserymen and all the representatives of 
Trade Associations were very emphatic on the necessity of 
preserving the quarantine in its present form, some even advis- 
ing that it be revised upwards. A great many harsh things were 
said about the vanity and lack of patriotism of amateurs in 
desiring a relaxation of its stringency. 
There were a good many complaints from growers as to the 
arbitrary way in which the Board granted permits to import 
to some people and refused them to others, also at the delay in 
receiving their decisions and the large sums required for bonds. 
Louise Crowninshield. 
Mrs. Randall Morgan, Chairman of the Committee on Inter- 
national Relations, presented the following report : 
In presenting the report of the Committee on International Inter- 
Relations, I shall begin by telling you of the Royal Horticultural national 
Society's kindness in procuring for those carrying letters of Relations 
introduction, visits to gardens of interest. There have been 
many such letters given and we felt this was becoming 
351 
