BUREAU OF ENTOMOLOGY AND PLANT QUARANTINE 111 
Improvements were made in the preliminary handling of apples 
preparatory to the determination of residues. A machine capable of 
tumbling the sample in a chemical solution was developed, and solu- 
tions capable of satisfactorily recovering lead arsenate, nicotine, and 
phenothiazine were found. These developments will permit of han- 
dling a greater number of samples than could be analyzed before. 
Improvements were made in the machine previously developed in 
the Division for measuring the average particle diameter of powdered 
insecticides and diluents. Proof was accumulated that the repro- 
ducibility of results from one machine to another, and from one opera- 
tor to another, is satisfactory. 
The methods for analyzing geraniol were restudied in an effort to 
make them more discriminating. The determination of boiling range 
was improved, and specifications for its use were drawn up. The 
method heretofore used for aldehyde content was found to be inferior 
to another suggested procedure, and steps were taken to adopt the 
latter. 
A procedure for quickly and accurately analyzing large numbers 
of soil samples for arsenic present in amounts ranging from a trace 
to 0.06 percent was completed. Soil treated with lead arsenate for 
the control of immature larvae of the Japanese beetle is analyzed by 
this method. 
TRANSIT INSPECTION 
Inspectors of the Bureau were stationed at 20 transportation centers 
for the inspection of shipments moving interstate via parcel post, 
express, and freight. During the year 1,383,623 shipments were exam- 
ined to determine their compliance with regulations of Federal domes- 
tic plant quarantines, and more than 1,000,000 freight waybills were 
examined to determine the status of shipments consigned thereunder. 
As a result of this inspection, 2,967 shipments were intercepted moving 
interstate in apparent violation of 8 Federal domestic plant quaran- 
tines and 139 shipments moving in apparent violation of intrastate 
quarantines relating to pests on account of which Federal qua rant in en 
have been established. Of these shipments, 1,047 were of such a nature 
that it was possible to inspect them for insects or plant diseases and 
allow them to proceed to their destination. Nearly 2,000 shipments 
moving interstate in apparent violation of State pest-control laws 
or regulations were noted by transit inspectors in the course of regular 
activities and reported to the States concerned. Of this number 40 
were moving in apparent violation of the standard State quarantines 
relating to the peach-mosaic disease. Inspection on a permanent basis 
Avas started at Buffalo, N. Y., during the year and discontinued at 
Springfield, Mass. During the spring shipping season temporary 
inspection was conducted at Birmingham, Ala., Dallas, Tex., and 
Memphis, Tenn. In December the inspection forces at Boston, New 
York, and Philadelphia were increased by the assignment of addi- 
tional inspectors to assist in the inspection of the seasonal movement 
of plant material from the gypsy moth regulate*! area. 
Cooperation was extended by affected States and by other projects 
of the Bureau in the assignment of inspectors to assist in the work, 
particularly during the shipping seasons. 
Data pertaining to shipments intercepted at transit inspection points 
are given in table 11. 
