120 ANXIWL RKPORT- OF hKPAKTM KNT OF AORICULTUBE, 1940 
AIRPLANE INSPECTION 
Tin 4 number of airplanes front foreign countries lias continued to 
increase, and the possibility of introducing plant pests through this 
rapid means df transportation bas increased accordingly. During the 
year 5,279 airplanes from foreign countries were inspected. The>e 
inspect ions were made at the following '2\ ports of entry : Douglas and 
Xogales. Ariz.: Calexico. Los Angeles, San Diego, and San Francisco, 
Calif. : Key West. Miami. IYnsacola, and West Palm Beach. Fla.: 
Honolulu. T. II.: P»alt inx.re, Md.; Boston. Mass.; New York. X. Y.\ 
San Juan. P. K. : Charleston, S. C: Brown ville, El Paso, and Laredo, 
Tex.: Norfolk. Va.: and Seattle, Wash. 
Seven hundred and twenty-eight of the airplanes inspected were 
found to carry prohibited plant material, much of which came from 
places where it is known to be the host of injurious plant pests. 
One thousand two hundred and fifty-nine interceptions of insects 
and plant diseases were made in connection with the airplane inspec- 
tion. These represented specimens taken from plant material carried 
in baggage, cargo, and stores, and also insects which were being car- 
ried as stowaways on the planes. These interceptions are not only 
of interest as possible plant pests, but many of them represented 
different species of mosquitoes and other insects that might have 
decided importance from the human-health standpoint. 
"While most of the interceptions represented forms which may be 
considered as having little economic importance, there were many 
interceptions which could be identified as to genus only, hence it 
is impossible to estimate their importance from a plant -pe-t stand- 
point. Interceptions of such well-known pests as fruitflies belonging 
to the genus Anastrepha, species of Aleyrodidae. the pink boll worm, 
and several species of coccids were included. 
FOREIGN PARCEL-POST INSPECTION 
Inspection of foreign parcel-post packages is carried on through the 
cooperation of customs and post-office officials. Under an arrange- 
ment which has been in effect many years, foreign mail packages 
found to contain plants or plant products are referred to inspectors 
of this Bureau for examination. Such packages arriving at ports of 
entry where no plant-quarantine inspectors are stationed are for- 
warded to the nearest port where inspection can be made. 
