(')() ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, 1949 
particularly of fruits and vegetables tram Mexico and other Latin- 
American countries. 
Not only art- all planes inspected upon arrival in Hawaii, but also 
all planes preparing to depart for the mainland. Airplanes are also 
treated \\ i 1 1 1 an aerosol containing DDT. The necessity for this pro- 
cedure, especially for planes dest ined to t la* mainland, was repeatedly 
demonstrated during the past year by the finding of Living adult- of 
tlif oriental fruit My in piano preparing to depart for the continental 
United State-. Of 4,051 planes given preflight inspection and treat- 
ment prior to departure for the mainland. L,665 would have trans- 
ported unauthorized plant material had it not been removed at the 
point of origin. 
Over 34,000 automobile trunks and pieces of l>aL r L r aL r e. more than 
twice, the number in 1948, were inspected and sealed prior to de- 
parture for the continent on surface vessels. The discovery that the 
oriental fruit fly occasionally attack- blooms of Vanda orchids made 
it accessary to require treatment of the blooms prior to shipment. 
Almost 266,000 packages of cut flower- and lei- were examined, 3,125 
of which were rejected ami 35,500 permitted to move after treatment. 
Shipments of fruits and vegetables to the mainland totaled >00, of 
which 174 required treatment before being certified. 
During the last quarter of the year preflight clearance of airplanes 
destined to the mainland was also started in Puerto Rico. Of the 556 
planes inspected during this brief period 339 carried unauthorized 
plant material. A total of i>l 1 shipments of fruit- and vegetables were 
• citified for movement from Puerto Rico to the continental United 
States. 
Traffic aero-- the Mexican border continued to increase; more than 
7.5 million vehicles and *2.5 million pieces of baggage were Inspected 
during the year. About 3,300 pullman and passenger roaches from 
Mexico were also in-pected at hordcr ports. The safeguarding of 
traffic from Mexico i- especially important at this time becaus 
heavy in fe-t at ions of the citrus hlacklly in that country. The VaUeS 
area, where infestation is exceedingly heavy, is only a few hours 1 drive 
over paved highways from the important citrus-production area of 
the Lower Rio Grande Valley, 
The number of freight cars inspected and entered during the year 
totaled 68,013. a decrease of B percent from the previous year. It was 
necessary to fumigate 5,467 of these cars before permitting them to 
enter t lie United States. I )uri nir t he year a new rail way was put into 
operation connecting the mainland <»f Mexico with Baja California, 
which is believed t<> 1"' free from several important pests that occur 
elsewhere in Mexico, in safeguard against the movement of these 
pests into this territory, where they would have an excellent oppor- 
tunity to migrate t<- the (Jnited State-, a cooperat ive arrangement has 
been worked out with the Mexican Department of Agricult lire whereby 
bus, ocean, air. and rail traffic to Baja California from the interior <^ 
Mexico is inspected. 
