348 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
Holland is Trying to Meet All Requirements to Prevent the 
Entry of Plant Diseases or insects on Nursery Stock 
P IUOK to the institution of the Phytopatli- 
ologieal Service in Holland, the nursery¬ 
men took the greatest care of their grounds 
and inueh was done for eontrolling ])lant-])ara- 
sil(‘s. because cultivation is done vciy intensively and 
conse(jnently cultivating inferior plants does not pay. 
Since 1899, when otlicial inspection of nurseries was 
instituted, the controlling of insects and plant-diseases 
was carried on according to a fixed plan. The applica¬ 
tion of controlling measures was not confined to those 
w ho ex})orted ])lants, but in the large nursery centres 
as well as in other parts of the country, the controlling 
w as maintained on a large scale. 
Fully aware of the necessity of giving the highest 
possible assurance as to the absence of insects and plant- 
diseases in shipments for exjiort, the phytopathological 
service of Holland w^as not content with the results ob¬ 
tained, hut has ever since exerted itself to improve the 
w ork of inspection. Since 1910 the ceitificates have not 
been issued on the mere results of the inspection of the 
grounds, but from that time all plants intended for ex¬ 
port have been inspected before being packed and 
shipped. 
Consequently w^e did this, before the United States re¬ 
quired this inspection as a qualification for import, or 
before this was done in any other part of the world. 
The improvement of the work of inspection and the 
more rigid application of the controlling measures has 
ever since been maintained. In a number of commun¬ 
ities, several of which are situated in the most important 
nursery-centres, regulations are even now^ being issued, 
according to wdiich nurserymen as well as private per¬ 
sons are compelled to apply special controlling meas¬ 
ures on certain kinds of nursery stock. The necessaiy 
attention is also paid to the presence of insects and plant- 
diseases, which eventually might be imported with 
earth. So that constant control of the mole-cricket, 
which occurs on certain kinds of soil in our country, 
led to a total extermination of this insect on many nur¬ 
series. The control of Othiorhynchus sulcatus is gen¬ 
eral and has also given important results, and the same 
may be said of other insects. In this way equal atten¬ 
tion is paid to plant-diseases and insects which occur on 
and to those under the surface of the earth. Continual 
inspection is made fas far as possible) on all nurseries 
in the countiy and the application of controlling meas¬ 
ures is enforced. All this is not done because the disease 
and insects cause so much damage to our nursery-stock, 
for this damage is exceedingly small. These regulations 
aim at making the stock perfectly clean even from the 
sliglitest infectation with insects or plant-diseases, be¬ 
cause we are fully aware, that only such stock may be 
(‘onsidered fit for export. 
The controlling-measures on the nurseries are 
especially against those insects w^hich f. i. hiber¬ 
nate in the ground and the presence of which can 
be detected w ith difficulty on stock with earth. 
To find out the results of the work of inspi'ction, a 
circular was sent in March 1914, to the chiefs of the 
services of inspection in the various States of America 
to ask whether in the (then almost ended) season 1913- 
’14 stock had been rejected on account of infestation by 
insects or iilant-diseases. To this circular thirty answers 
were received. Of these thirty answers twenty-two 
were unconditionally favorable about the work done by 
the phytopathological service of Holland, whereas the 
others contained mostly but very trifling remarks. From 
this I may conclude, that our work is considered to be 
more than sufficient, by a large number of inspection- 
authorities in the United States. 
Although the results of our work are up until now 
very satisfactory, still the phytopathological service aims 
at a higher standard. Every suggestion from America, 
wdiich may lead to an improvement, will be gratefully 
accepted. 
A large staff will give a more rigid inspection, in 
summer of the nursery grounds and in w inter of the 
nursery stock, to warrant the best possible condition of 
everything intended for shipment. 
We come to the following conclusion: 
10. That the sanitary conditions of the nursery- 
stock in Holland have ahvays been particularly good, be¬ 
cause the intensive cultivation made this of vital im¬ 
portance ; 
20. That the phytopathological service exerts itself 
to the utmost to control insects and plant-diseases in the 
nurseries and is supported by laws and local regulations 
and by the general co-operation of the nurseiymen; 
30. That this controlling is maintained with great 
success and that a rigid inspection of the nursery-stock 
when ready for export completes this work; 
40. That equal attention is paid to all insects and 
plant-diseases, and consequently there is no reason for! 
the supposition, that the chance of importing these in-i 
sects and diseases on plants with earth is practically 
greater than on plants wuThout earth; 
50. That the opinion of American inspection authori¬ 
ties about the sanitaiy conditions of the nursery-stock 
imported during the season 1913-’14 from Holland w^as 
most favorable and that the few" remarks wdiich were 
made did not relate to insects and plant-diseases which 
might specially have been imported in balled plants; 
60. That the phytopathological service of Holland 
still aims at a more rigid control on the nurseries and a 
still sharper control of the plants to be exported and 
that all remarks wffiich may lead to improvements, will 
be gladly considered. 
We hope, that the Federal Horticultural Board, after 
perusal of the facts mentioned above, may not resolve 
to take measures, as far as Holland is con- 
