248 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
As a matter of fact, probably 75 per cent, of the impor¬ 
tant economic pests have been introduced from foreign 
countries largely through accident or carelessness. Some 
of these are so insidious that they might easily pass the 
most careful inspection. On this account we believe 
that the most rigid inspection is not satisfactory in every 
way. 
The only method by which plants should be introduced 
in this country is through an official department which 
could grow the plants and re-produce them under quar¬ 
antine for a reasonable period of years until all danger 
is past. Only by this method can some of the insidious 
plant diseases be detected. 
At the last meeting of the American Association of 
Official Horticultural Inspectors held in Columbus, Ohio, 
January 1, 1916, the Assistant Entomologist of New Jer¬ 
sey offered a report on “Introduced Insect Pests Recently 
Established in New Jersey.” This list included more 
than twenty species of insects which have been imported 
and recently have become established in that state. It 
is true that some of them have not attained great economic 
imporance at this time, but if history runs true, some of 
these may ultimately become a tremendous calamity to 
certain plants. 
I am asking this representative body of nurserymen — 
leaders of horticulture in America, to consider carefully 
and thoughtfully the tremendous problems which con¬ 
front us in the control of the insect and plant disease 
pests which already exist in this country, and I ask you 
to consider more carefully the calamities which may re¬ 
sult in further importation of horticultural pests. I 
wish that each of you could see this problem from the 
standpoint of the entomologist and plant pathologist, who, 
like physicians and surgeons, have made a life long study 
of these particular branches of biology, and that you 
would become aroused to the dangerous situation in 
which we are constantly being placed by the miscel¬ 
laneous introduction of horticultural products. 
The losses accruing from the introduction of a single 
disease, sueli as the Chestnut Blight, are infinitely greater 
than the entire value of plant introduction into this coun¬ 
try up to the present time. I sincerely hope that the time 
will come when this country will take the steps which 
have been taken by Germany, Austria, Italy, France and 
other European countries, which prohibit absolutely the 
importation of the majority of known horticultural pro¬ 
ducts. 
The great European war, the greatest of all time, has 
awakened this country to the fact that it has been de¬ 
pending unnecessarily, to a very large degree, on foreign 
commerce, and foreign products. I wish that some 
great power would impress this body with the serious¬ 
ness of the important situation. I verily believe that if 
you men comprehend the danger of introducing new and 
greater pests, you would support to the utmost all such 
measures proposed before the Federal Congress and the 
state legislatures for the elimination of this dangerous 
practice. The co-operation of such a body of men would 
be of definite assistance to the practical scientific men of 
this country, who, through personal interest and love of 
their science alone, are pointing out these grave problems. 
As representing one of this scientific body of men, I wish 
to appeal to you strongly that some action be taken at this 
meeting, or later meetings of this session, to instruct your 
legislative committee to act wisely and in a far-seeing 
manner in their relations with the legislative bodies of 
this country. I do not mean to infer that your legisla¬ 
tive committee has set any bad precedents nor has acted 
in any unbecoming manner, but my acquaintance during 
the past several years with your legisuative men has lead 
me to believe that they are gradually learning the impor¬ 
tance of these questions, and quicker, more definite ac¬ 
tion, I believe, is lacking, only on account of the lack of 
scientific knowledge of the plant pest situation. With¬ 
out undue accusation, I fear that the pecuniary losses of 
the immediate years are considered too strongly, rather 
than the possible or probable losses of later years result¬ 
ing from the introduction of plants bearing dangerous 
pests. 
I ask that you accept this warning in the way it is 
given,—in a most kindly manner and in the interest of 
your great profession._ 
PROGRAM THIRTIETH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE 
TEXAS STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY TO.. 
RE HELD AT COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS 
JULY 27—28, 1916 
Officers, Fritz Engelhard, Pres., Eagle Lake; Eltweed 
Pomeroy, Vive President, Donna; G. H. Blackmon, Sec¬ 
retary-Treasurer, Dallas; I. E. Cowart, Assistant Sec¬ 
retary-Treasurer, College Station. 
July 27, 8:30 a. m. 
Invocation. 
Welcome Address—E. J. Kyle, Dean of the School of 
Agriculture, College Station, Texas. 
Response—Eltweed Pomeroy, Donna, Texas. 
President’s Annual Address—Fritz Engelhard, Eagle 
Lake, Texas. 
Methods of Plant Breeding—Dr. H. J. Webber, Dean of 
the Graduate School of Agriculture, University of Cali¬ 
fornia, Berkeley, California. 
Neglected Horticulture—E. W. Kirkpatrick, McKinney, 
Texas. 
Grape Fruit Culture, a Success-—Dr. E. Kalbflrisch, 
Mercedes, Texas. 
Progress in Eradicating Citrus Canker—Ed. L. Ayers, 
Chief of the Division of Nursery Inspection, Houston, 
Texas. 
Jujubes, a Promising New Fruit for Texas—F. T. Ram¬ 
sey, Austin, Texas.. 
Some Promising new Varieties of Peaches—J. W. 
Stubenrauch. Mexia, Texas. 
July 28, 8:00 a. m. 
Business session. 
Breeding of Special Crops—-Oranges, Apples, Potatoes, 
etc.—Dr. H. J. Webber, Berkeley, Cal. 
A Botanical Garden and Arboretum for Texas—John S. 
Kerr, Sherman, Texas. 
Planting and Care of the Home Grounds—R. A. Gilliam, 
Dallas, Texas. 
My Experience in Top-working Hickories to Pecans— 
Frank B. Guinn. Rusk, Texas. 
The Place of the Home Garden in the Plan of Diversi¬ 
fication—W. B. Lanham, Extension, Horticulturist, Col¬ 
lege Station, Texas. Reports of committees. 
