56 
Gardeners and Florists’ Annual for J9J8 
among its authoi-izations were: The Secretary of Agriculture was given 
power to compel sale to him of seeds for distribution to farmers; the 
appointment of two additional Secretaries of Agriculture, at $5000 a 
year each; an allowance of $5,778,000 for the purchase of seeds for 
■farmers; an allowance of $t41,000 for the eradication of plant pests 
and diseases. 
« * * 
The Senate on June 3 passed the Gore bill, with its $11,000,000 
appropriation, to stimulate and regulate the production of food. Under 
this bill the Secretary of Agriculture is authorized to purchase seeds 
and sell them to farmers at cost, an appropriation of $J,500,000 being 
provided. 
* * * 
California legislation included laws as follows: Senate Bill No. 
458, empowering State Board of Horticultural Examiners to appoint 
County Horticultural Commissioners upon refusal of County 
Boards of Supervisors to appoint them; also dealing with the 
control of squirrels, gophers and other pests, and inspection of nursery 
stock and disposal of that infected; No. 4G0 provides two Field Deputies 
of the State Horticultural Comniissioner to bring about uniformity in 
enforcement of horticultural laws; No. (>8J provides for search in 
foreign countries for parasites of the mealy bug; No. 751 ])rotects the 
State against amateur entomologists who might bring in dangerous 
insects. 
* * * 
At a conference called by the Secretary of Agriculture, at which 
representatives of 21 leading seed firms were present and officers of the 
American Seed Trade Ass’n and the Wholesale Grass Seed Dealers’ 
Association, it was agreed by those present to arrange for the volun- 
tary furnishing of information as follows, concerning seeds sold to 
farmers: (1) name of seedsman; (2) kind of seed; (3) proportion of 
live seed present, with month and year of germination test; ( t) country 
or locality of origin in the case of imported Beans, Soy Beans, Turk- 
estan Alfalfa and Bed Clover from Southern Europe and Chile. 
* * * 
The House Committee made a favorable report on the trading- 
with-the-enemy act, introduced into the Senate by Senator Fletcher of 
Florida. The bill prohibited the transaction of business between citi- 
zens of the United States and citizens or residents of countries with 
which the United States is at war; or the residents of neutral or 
.\llied territory under the control of the enemy. 
* * * 
The embargo on raffia from Madagascar was lifted. 
It was reported that the Senate finance committee had excised 
the 10 per cent, tariff tax from the House bill for revenue, but it was 
suggested that a 10 per cent, specific tax would take the place of the 
ad valorem tax. 
* * * 
The wholesale florists of New York City, after debating the matter 
for several years, finally came to an agreement to close their stores 
entirely on Sundays. 
