the United Stf^.tos of injurious insect pcstE end fungous 
diser,scp, to forbid, except ns providod in the rules and 
regulations supplcmontrJ her-:to, the importation into the 
United Stf.tcs of nurcery stock and other plants and sfods 
from th;. foroiorn countries anr* localities nanod and fron 
any other fcroi^n locality or country. 
"On and rftor Juno 1, 1919., ^'^d until further notice, 
by virtue oi said act oi Confr,ress approved August 20, 1912, 
the importr tion of jiursory stock and other plaits fxnd seeds 
from the abcw. nr.T.cd and all otlicr foreign countries and 
localities, .xcept as providod in the rule, s rnd roe;ulations 
supplenentt^ 1 hi-rcto, is prohibited." 
Under this pro\uIfration, in arcordrince vfllh the le;;,:;al interpretation 
we have received of the Plant '.quarantine j^ct, all nursery stock from the 
countries of Europ;. , .A.sia, I-iricc, alexico. Central and South iiiierica and 
other foreign countri^' s and localities vrould hrve been definitely, 
completely and finally excluded for e)iy nurposj by the Plant Quarantine 
Act itself, Hovvov r, regulations vrere s.t up under the quarantine 
which provided chat certain classes of nursery ttock and other plrnts 
end plant products v.'ould be exe-npted fror.: th.: quarantin- promulgation. 
Among these were certain classes of bulbs, fruit stock, rose stocks, 
nuts, rnd c^;rtain classes of s;edr.. Provision was made for entry in 
limited qurntities, on tlie cthv. r hrjid, fro.ei all tr.ese countries for 
namerous- genera rnd species of plants. Provision v;as mf.de in practice, 
at least, for holding the imported pli-ntc in detention for a period of 
tvro y^ars for propagation purposes only although the author j.ty for such 
practice do:.s not rpp ar clearly in the quarantine-, wid does not appear 
at all in the PI cut '.^luarcntine Act. 
Quarrntine 37 rttempts to do those things which should be done 
by legislative enactment end rerlly places the Department in the 
position of legislating on things that rre considered desirrble or 
necessary in nursery stock and plant importations, tvhon tlii s is done 
in many crses first consideration is likely to be economic consideration 
cud this nay bring the Department into the trade protection field and in 
many instcences entirely out of the quarantine field. 
Acting on the theory that to reduce the volurae of importations of 
foreign plants the drj-.ger of i^^.portation of pe^sts is thereby correspondingly 
reduced, numerous classr^s of pltJits have been completely excluded when 
they became comncrcir lly available in this country. Obher plants are 
permitted entry in unliTnited num.bcrs b;cc.use thoy arc not commercially 
available in this country. Certainly it can not be denied that there 
is scientific merit for the conclusion thot a logical reduction of the 
volume of imports doi.s reduce the risk of post introduction. Particularly 
is this true in considering the status of obscure e.nd undetectable and 
unknovm insect pnests and plant diseases. Hov/ever, Quarantine No. 37 
does not do this. 
