158 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
guarantee you that not a single diseased bulb can be found in 
them. The owner of a stock of bulbs of several millions re¬ 
cently offered ten dollars a piece for any diseased bulb that 
could be found in his stocks. Where I can offer you a scienti¬ 
fically verifiable guarantee of the absolute purity of such large 
soctks, it is difficult to believe that there are arguments which 
would justify the supposition that import restrictions should be 
placed on any whole class of buibs I speak of. These bulb 
stocks are shipped from Holland entirely free from roots, top- 
growth and soil. They are a thoroughly clean product and I re¬ 
quest respectfully that all dry bulbs of all classes be permitted 
free entry into the United States, the same as they are allowed 
free entry into Holland. 
THE BRITISH VIEW 
M. W. G. Lobjoit, Controller of Horticulture for Great 
Britain, was in attendance at the Plant Conference and 
presented the British views. 
He gave a careful review of the history and develop¬ 
ment of the regulations of the United States governing 
plant importation also those of Great Britain and con¬ 
cluded as follows: 
The continuance of trade between Britain and America and 
America and Britain should be the primary object to be kept in 
view, for each country is able in virtue of the different climates 
to specialize in different classes of produce. It would appear a far 
wiser policy to take a broad view of the whole matter and one 
not narrowed down merely to a consideration of pathological 
problems: and to devise suitable ways and means for protecting 
against pests without imposing regulations which would tend to 
stop legitimate international trade. If the Health Certificate 
policy has not been as effective as was expected it may be that 
whilst the policy is right the system in operation can be im¬ 
proved upon; if so, it should be possible for the Federal Horticul¬ 
tural Board to point out exactly the kind of health certificates 
which are required with imported plants, and the inspection con¬ 
ditions to be observed. If this be done, an assurance could be 
given on behalf of England that the inspections would be strictly 
carried out and the certificates granted in a careful and consci¬ 
entious manner. Furthermore, if the Federal Horticultural Board 
is not able to accept the statements as to the improvement of 
the British Pathological Service in recent years, England would 
welcome a delegation from America to investigate the service 
first-hand and to work out a system for the certification of 
plants. 
THE PATHOLOGICAL POINT OF VIEW 
Complete Safety an Unattainable Ideal. 
While it is true that the most important factor in carrying 
pests from one country to another is the trade in living plants, 
yet this trade is by no means the only factor. Many kinds of 
insects and also fungus spores are able to persist for periods, 
long or short as the case may be, away from their host plants 
and they are thus able to take advantage of any means of trans¬ 
port which may exist. Fungus spores may be and indeed must 
frequently be blown on board ship, while insects may fly on 
board or crawl into packing and thus be carried from one coun¬ 
try to another. The frequency of such occurrences may be proved 
by looking up the records of foreign insects found in any market 
dealing in foreign produce. 
Plant Quarantine, Therefore, a Means of Reducing Risks, Not of 
Eliminating Them. 
Since it is manifestly impossible to eliminate all risks, the 
problem resolves itself into one of weighing the risk of the intro¬ 
duction of oreign pests against the loss in trade due to quaran¬ 
tine measures of various degrees of stringency. 
Prohibition Demanded, But Demand Defeated. 
Pathologists and Entomologists in England have for the last 
10 years looked with growing fear at the risks involved by the 
importation of American produce. They would prefer an abso¬ 
lute prohibtion on the import of all American plants and tem¬ 
perate fruit. They have, however, been deterred by the cer¬ 
tainty that such a prohibition, which it is logical to suppose 
would become operative on both sides of the ocean, would involve 
a serious reduction in trade and that the premium the country 
would have to pay for additional security would be too great. 
Prohibition Again Demanded. 
Now, however, that America has declared herself to be aim¬ 
ing at the prohibition of all plant imports (in ordinary trade at 
all events) the above argument loses its force, and pathologists 
are again asking themselves why England should continue to run 
risks without receiving any compensation by way of trade. 
American Importations Unnecessary. 
This argument, at all events as regards fruit, is a disappear¬ 
ing one, but in any case it is countered by a totally different 
consideration, viz., there are other countries from which can be 
obtained the categories of plants now imported from the U. S. A., 
and these countries have no prohibition on English imports. It 
is clearly preferable then, since risks must anyhow be taken, to 
deal with a country open to English trade rather than with one 
which will not risk English produce. 
No Valid Argument Against This Policy. 
A reduction in the number of countries sending potentially 
dangerous produce to England is, from the pathological point of 
view, sound policy, since it enables entomologists and mycologists 
to recognize and guard aganst their risks more closely. Objec¬ 
tion from the general public would only arise if the reduction in 
the number of importing countries continued sufficiently to raise 
prices or to curtail the supply and, although such an occurrence 
seems most unlikely, it could always be met by issuing a special 
and temporary license to import from the prohibited country. 
This Policy Not a Reprisal. 
There is no question of reprisals in this argument. A reprisal 
is the carrying out of something, in itself purposeless and unde¬ 
sirable, in order to compel another party to make a concession. 
Here we ask no concession and our action will stand on its own 
merits as desirable. We merely assert our rights to deal with 
our risks in the manner most advantageous to our country. It 
is, in fact, purely a business transaction in pathology. 
Rochester, N. Y., May 24, 1922. 
CLEARING THE ATMOSPHERE 
By William Pitkin^ Rochester^ N. Y. 
The quarantine hearing of May 15th gave everybody 
a chance to “blow off steam” and “get it out of their sys¬ 
tems,” and now matters should settle down to a more 
reasonable, common-sense basis on all sides. 
As a matter of fact, all that has been and is now neces¬ 
sary is a little addition of common or every-day horse- 
sense, less of arbitrary ruling because of power and 
authority, less knocking and criticism not constructive, 
less optimistic statements about the condition of Ameri¬ 
can production which have not been realized, less selfish 
grabbing of special permits to get ahead of the other 
fellow and more co-operative team-work and give-and- 
take; in fact, more of the common-sense methods that 
are used by all of us in our ordinary, every-day bus¬ 
iness. 
In my opinion the Federal Horticultural Board is 
ready for it. They must have advice from those that 
know the business side of these questions. Heretofore 
most or all of that advice has been based on absolutely 
selfish reasons. In this respect the nurserymen have a 
big opportunity for reform. Let their advice be based 
on broad grounds—what is best for the trade in general 
—for the welfare of the country, and forget for a time 
the effect on their own pocket-book. 
The opening statement of Dr. Marlatt was a clear and 
strong presentation of the situation from his viewpoint. 
One remark impressed forcibly—in substance, that 
while the Federal Horticultural Board had control over 
many commodities, its chief troubles were with the 
goods handled by the nurserymen and florists, and for 
the reason that the plant quarantine was a selective 
quarantine. 
It is easy to follow that statement. It is said that per¬ 
mits are granted to one man and denied another on the 
same plants. Naturally one man boosts and the other 
