184 BUREAU OF ENTOMOLOGY AND PLANT QUARANTINE [Oct.-Dec. 
CHARACTER OF INSPECTION AM) CERTIFICATION DESIRED 
The required phytosanitary certificate must be based on an examination 
made not more than 14 days prior to the date of shipment and it must state 
that the plants (or in certain cases, a representative sample of the plants) 
have been thoroughly examined and "found to be healthy, no evidence of the 
presence of any insect, fungus, or pest destructive to horticultural crops having 
been discovered in them." This form of words implies that the examining 
officer has done everything that is reasonably possible to assure himself that 
the material examined is free from pests and diseases; it does not involve him 
in any personal guaranty that the plants are absolutely and completely free 
from all plant diseases and pests — a guaranty which could seldom conscien- 
tiously be given. 
REINSPECTION ON ARRIVAL 
All shipments of plant material are subject to reinspection on arrival at a 
port of Great Britain and the action taken will depend on the findings. The 
action taken on imported plants found to be infected by some disease or pest 
is based upon a recognition of the difference in degree of importance to be 
attributed to diseases and pests that have already become established in Great 
Britain and those that have not. The action taken in the case of a pest or 
disease new to Great Britain will be drastic, regardless of the extent of in- 
festation. For example, the action taken with respect to infections of common 
scab, Actinomyces scabies, on potatoes, or of the oystershell scale, Lepidosaphes 
ul mi, on apple or other fruit stocks, would depend on the degree of infection or 
infestation. On the other hand, the finding of plant material infested with 
San Jose scale (Aspidiotiis pemiciosus) which does not occur in the United 
Kingdom, or the discovery of even a single potato infected with wart disease, 
Synchytrium endobioticum, a disease from which wide areas of Great Britain 
are still free, would result in the exportation or destruction of the shipment 
concerned. Plant-quarantine inspectors, therefore, are requested not to certify 
for export to Great Britain plant products infested or infected by injurious 
pests or diseases not known to occur there, and, in instances where inspection 
cannot be depended on to determine freedom from plant pests, plant products 
which, on account of their origin, are likely to be infested or infected therewith. 
FREEDOM FROM SOIL 
Although no regulation specifically prohibits the importation of soil, the 
certification that plants have been "thoroughly examined" implies that the 
roots, as well as other parts of plants, have been inspected, consequently, that 
adhering soil (if any) has been reduced to a minimum. In other words, plants 
should be practically free from soil and should be packed in such a manner as 
to facilitate inspection and to prevent spoilage or injury in transit. 
regulations governing the importation of plants and plant products into 
England and Wales 
(The Importation of Plants Order of June 7. 1933, as amended by the order of Juno 30, 
1934) 
DEEINITTONS 
Article 1. In this order, unless the context otherwise requires: 
"Plant" includes tree and shrub, and the fruit, seeds, tubers, bulbs, conns, 
rhizomes, roots, layers, cuttings, and other parts of a plant. 
"Raw vegetables" includes raw onions, raw tomatoes, raw eggplants, and raw 
salads. 
"Unhealthy" means affected with any insect, fungus, or other pest destruc- 
tive to agricultural or horticultural crops. 
Art. 2. Refers to products grown in the United Kingdom. 
