208 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
THE PINE QUARANTINE. 
By Frederick W. Kelsey. 
There has appeared in the Horticultural papers some 
apparent differences between the understanding of some 
of the members of the Federal Horticultural Board and my 
own understanding of the position of that Board on this 
Pine quarantine subject at the hearing or conference held 
in Washington, February 2nd, as to whether there would 
be ample opportunity for a fuller hearing before definite 
action w ould be taken by the Board. This was and is 
clearly my conviction as to what occurred at the hearing 
on this point and was therefore greatly surprised at the 
reference which appeared later from Chairman Marlatt 
in connection w ith the adoption of tlie quarantine recom¬ 
mendation by the Board on the 5th of February, only 
three days after the hearing referred to. 
I have no doubt that Chairman Marlatt and his col¬ 
leagues wished to be fair in their interpretation of what 
occurred, and as it was furtherest from my thought to 
refer to that understanding in any other w ay excepting 
as developed at the hearing, as publicly stated by me at 
the time, I have been quite unable to account for the ap¬ 
parent difference in statement in this regard: And if 
that meeting was fully reported I believe the records will 
fully bear out this understanding and the impression 
which I believe all derived at the time, viz. that there 
would be further hearing and opportunity for the nur¬ 
serymen to appear before the Board during the present 
summer before decided action were taken as to this 
quarantine. It is noticeable that the recommendation of 
the Board of February 5th in favor of the quarantine 
was soon after made effective by the Secretary of Agri- 
culture. 
I am confident that no reputable concern would wish 
to do other than co-operate with the Department of Agri¬ 
culture and the Board in preventing the introduction and 
dissemination of injurious insect pests as has been and 
is the policy of this Company, but admitedly at the hear¬ 
ing February 2nd it was shown that the immediate quar¬ 
antine as then proposed was not justifiable, that there 
was a question whether the comparatively few instances 
of the Pine Motli could not be exterminated by proper 
pruning and care, nor do I think it was clearly shown 
that an arbitrary action in debarring all pines, whether 
for forestry, nursery purposes or other uses, would not 
cause a far greater injustice, loss and injury than the 
cost of effective remedies on the part of the Government, 
the different State Departments and the co-operation of 
the nursery trade. 
There are of course some nurserymen like some of the 
officials in Washington and elsewhere who hail with sat¬ 
isfaction or delight any pretense or reason for debarring 
importations, but to the great majority in the trade and 
out of it this spirit, whether based upon over apprehen¬ 
sion or the mercenary desire to cut off importations for 
personal advantage, cannot represent either the wishes 
or the interests of the great majority of the nurserymen 
and foresters and private planters of the country who 
rely on same. 
Should the Legislative Committee of the Association 
take up this question in the right manner I believe that a 
modification of the present quarantine on pines would be 
secured to the mutual advantage of the trade as a whole 
and purchasers of this class of evergreens generally. 
L. A. BERCKMANS, 
Augusta, Ga. 
Chairman 
Co-operation with Entomologists, 
American Association of Nurserymen. 
WILL B. MUNSON, 
Denison, Texas, 
Chairman Membership Cmmittee, 
American Association of Nurserymen. 
