THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
Legislation 
RETROSPECTIVE OF RECENT ATTEMPTS AT 
FEDERAL LEGISLATION 
Such legislation concerns those whose duty it is to adminis¬ 
ter such a protective measure and those who would enjoy its 
protection. Since both recognize the advantages of such 
legislation, it may be wondered why such a law has not been 
in force before this. 
From careful and extended discussion of the matter, which 
I heard presented last June, before the St. Louis meeting of 
the National Nurserymen’s Association, it appears that 
between the two interests there-has existed a difference of 
o])inion regarding the proper administrative policy. 
During the meeting of the American Association for the 
Advancement of Science at Washington last December, a 
conference lasting several days was held by the representa¬ 
tives of the interests concerned. This conference was com¬ 
posed of Chairman William Pitkin, of New York; Messrs. 
Irving Rouse, of New York; W. P. Stark, of Missouri, and W. 
H. Wyman, of Massachusetts, of the Committee on National 
Legislation of the American Association of Nurserymen; 
Mr. C. L. Marlatt, of the Department of Agriculture; and 
Professors T. B. Symons, of Maryland, E. D. Sanderson, of 
West Virginia, and E. L. Worsham, of Georgia, representing 
the National Horticultural Inspectors. These representa¬ 
tives worked with commendable zeal and deliberation in 
their endeavors to reach a fair and reasonable solution of the 
problem. 
The Western Nurserymen’s Association asked the writer 
to become, with Mr. Stark, a member of their committee and 
he accepted, as a representative of the University of Kansas, 
and therefore, served without expense to any interest con¬ 
cerned. 
After several conferences, the plan was finally adopted 
whereby the administration of the proposed federal law would 
be vested in a commission of five, to be appointed by the 
Secretary of Agriculture and to consist of the Solicitor of that 
Departmient, two from the Bureau of Plant Industry, and 
two from the Bureau of Entomology. The administration 
of this law in the various states was to be referred by this 
commission to the proper state officials. Quarantine was to 
be restricted to insects “new and not theretofore widely 
distributed in the United States.’’ 
This was a tentative plan adopted subjeet to the approval 
of the Secretary of Agricultrire and the Legislative Committee 
of the National Nurserymen’s Association. A bill containing 
the policy agreed upon was drafted and sent to the Secretary 
of Agriculture and the Legislative Committee. 
On the National Legislative Committee of the Nursery¬ 
men’s Association, there are twenty-two members, and as yet 
sufficient time has not elapsed for an expression of opinion to 
have been received from all of these. In the meantime, 
however, this bill, with certain modifications, has been intro 
duced into the House as H. B. 18000, ordered printed, and 
referred to the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Com¬ 
merce. 
I have delayed writing to you, hoping to have for you a full 
expression from the Nurserymen’s Legislative Committee on 
the conference agreement. Sufficient time has hardly 
elapsed yet to make this possible, nor to have their views on 
the modified bill introduced and referred. 
This much may be said, however, that the members of the 
conference committee on their adjournment from Washing¬ 
ton were unanimous in the opinion that at that time condi¬ 
tions had never been more favorable for the enactment of the 
safe federal legislation which should prove of great benefit to 
the country as a whole and to the various interests concerned. 
S. J. Hunter, 
State Entornologist. 
PROGRESS ON FEDERAL LEGISLATION BILL 
It was confidently expected by the Committee on Legisla¬ 
tion that by this time an agreement satisfactory to all parties 
concerned in this bill would have been reached. Owing, 
however, to the hasty introduction of the bill by the Bureau 
of Entomology, and a misunderstanding as to who was in 
authority in accepting certain of its provisions, the members 
of the Committee have found it necessary to withhold their 
support from the bill until the features mentioned in the last 
issue of The National Nurseryman are made satisfactory 
to all parties concerned. At latest accounts, negotiations are 
in progress. 
Mr. Pitkin writes under date of February 13 that the 
Western section of the Committee on Legislation had notified 
Mr. Marlatt that they had withdrawn their support of Bill 
No. 18000. The representatives of the Western Association 
feel that the departments from which the members of the 
commission are chosen, as provided in Section 2, should be 
definitely stated. It is the view also of Messrs. Stark and 
Hunter that all notices of inspections or possible quarantines 
should be sent to the state official charged with the duty of 
inspection. The Committee as a whole will, of course, sup¬ 
port these contentions, but the view of the Chairman is that 
the most vital point of the bill is that mentioned in The 
National Nurseryman the last issue, in Sections 8 and 9. 
The Committee would like these sections amended to read: 
“That whenever, in order to prevent the introduction from 
any foreign country into the United States or any of its 
possessions of White Pine Blister Rust, Potato Wart or any 
tree, plant, or fruit disease, or of any injurious insect new to 
or not theretofore discovered in the United States,’’ and 
“That the Commission is authorized and directed to 
quarantine when it shall determine the fact that White Pine 
Blister Rust, Potato Wart or a dangerous plant disease or 
insect infestation, newly discovered in the United States, 
exists in such State or territory.’’ 
As Mr. Pitkin adds, “We claim that these proposed word¬ 
ings agree with the verbal arrangement made in Washington, 
which was that the quarantine should apply to insects and 
diseases new to the United States plus White Pine Blister 
Rust and Potato Wart, and further that we are ready to stand 
by our agreement and support any bill that conforms to it, 
but that the printed bill 18000 does not conform to it, and we 
shall oppose it.’’ 
