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"It is understood that there are numerous varieties 
of plants in the Amazon Valley that are commonly known as 
"timbo" and that yield the poison that is used for killing 
fish. Several shipments of the roots were made from Para in 
1933 and during the early part of 1934. The natives col- 
lecting the roots in the interior were not acquainted with 
the plants that yield a sufficient percentage of rotenone. 
The firms exporting the roots were also unacquainted with 
the plants and were not in a position to guarantee that the 
roots they shipped really contained any rotenone at all. 
Consequently some of the shipments made to the United States 
at the time proved to be worthless. The two best yielding 
varieties of this plant are said to be the "timbo macaquinho" 
( Lonchpcarpus nicou ) and "timbo urucu" (L oncho carpus urucu ) . 
"By decree No. 1259 of April 3, 1934, the Government 
of the State of Para prohibited the exportation of timbo 
roots and permitted its exportation only when ground into 
powdered form. The purpose of the decree was to promote 
the local manufacture of this product. 
"A committee of important business men appointed by 
the local chamber of commerce to prepare suggestions bearing 
on the revocation of the mentioned decree, presented to the 
Governor of the State on July 5, 1935, a memorial signed by 
71 firms, which emphasizes the fact that the prohibition 
decree is causing losses to trade, to the people and to the 
State Treasury, and benefiting Peru and the other producing 
countries; and that as a result of prohibition the market 
price of the roots immediately fell. The memorial recom- 
mended that the trade, exportation and industry be free. 
"The Governor of the State was evidently in favor of 
permitting the exportation of the timbo roots. Accordingly, 
with his permission, one of the local firms on July 23, 1935, 
shipped 60,000 kilos of these roots to New York. However, 
inasmuch as only the State Legislature can modify the law, 
the Governor on September 26, 1935, sent a message to the 
State Legislature requesting immediate action. Late in 
November 1935 the Committee of the Legislature reported in 
favor of continuing the prohibition of exportation of the 
roots. The regular session of this Legislature terminated 
on December 31, 1935, without having taken any definite action. 
"Inasmuch as the general policy in recent years has 
been to promote and protect the manufacture locally of all 
natural and cultivated products, and as the consensus of 
opinion here seems to favor the retention of the prohibition, 
it is definitely understood that should this bill come before 
the Legislature at its session due to begin in July of this 
year, the prohibition decree will be approved and retained. 
