The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-02-05
INSECT INFESTED TREES.
THE STATE BOARD OF HORTI-
CULTURES RESOLUTIONS.
Secretary Lelong Writes to Sena-
tor White Concerning Sec
= rotary Wilson's Letter.

In yesterdays issue of the Record
Union" appeared letter to +. NJ Le-
long, Secretary of the State Board Oh
Horticulture, from the Secretary or A3-
riculture al Washington, d. e.. relative
to the bill now before Congress proVld-
ing for a quarantine against lnsect-ln-
Tested trees and plants.
The Secretary of Agriculture mlStook
the substance of a letter Secretary Lee
long had sent TO him asking that he
use his influence to secure the passage
OF a law requiring inspection or trees
and plants sent through the United
States mail, and understood that he re-
fer-red to the bill now before Congress.
AS a matter of fact, the reply was not
pleasing TO Secretary Lelong. and he
yesterday forwarded a letter TO Senator
Stephen NJ. White. setting forth in con-
else terms what the fruit growers Of
the State demand, and requesting him
to use his influence to secure the pas
sage of a law which will give the de-
sired relief. The full text Of the let
ter is as follows:
SECRETARY LELONG'S LETTER.
Hon. Stephen NJ. White, United
States Senate.
My Dear Sir: The fruit growers of
California in convention assembled at
Sacramento. November Is, 1897, after
due consideration of the provisions of
the bill introduced by you in the Sem
ate, on National Horticultural Quaran-
tine, resolved as follows:
That Section l of the BILL giving the
mower. RI the Spcrataru OF Aoriprl1t11rp
10. designate certain ports where plants
may be brought into the United States,
subject to inspection and treatment,
when found necessary, and under such
conditions as he may by regulation pre-
scribe, etc. was unanimously approved.
That Section > provides that when
nursery stock, plants, cuttings. buds,
CRAFTS fruit, etc, are found infested
with dangerous or injurious insects or
diseases. they shall be treated at the
expense of the owner, in accordance
with the regulations of the Secretary of
Agriculture, or they shall be destroyed
in case their condition is such as to
warrant such destruction.
The first clause of this section being
practically the same as Rule II. of the
Regulations of the State Board of Hor-
ldChiHS tie piONiS tIidl dlbSi
treatment, the stock, etc, must remain
in quarantine for a period of fourteen
days. in order to determine the result
of the disinfection; we therefore ask
the Hon. Senator White to amend the
same accordingly.
LAS to the second clause, we consider
Rule V. of the Regulations of the State
Board of Horticulture much more pre-
So e L
insects or diseases unknown TO the
State are prohibited from landing, and
that invariably means destruction,
therefore we ask that the bill be so
amended.
That Section 3 deals with the issu-
ing of certificates OF inspection that
shall release the inspected stock from
further inspection or quarantine. To
counterfeit. change or deface any GER
tifieate subjects the guilty party to a
fine not exceeding five hundred dollars
or to one years Imprisonment or both
fine and Imprisonment This section
we heartily approve.
That Section 4, giving the power to
the Secretary Of Agriculture to accept
from any foreign country that has pro-
vided proper and competent inspection
anu tIEdltlCHl- etc, SuCn inspection
and treatment in lieu of inspection per-
formed by officers appointed by himself.
which acceptation or proclama ton by
the Secretary OF Agriculture shall re-
lieve all such articles specified in the
foregoing sections of this Act, when
properly stamped or labeled, from
further quarantine or restriction. This
We consider an unsafe section. and no
-
lege
Imported plants and trees that give
unlniStakabie evidence of having been
disinfected before shipment, have been
found upon arrival to still contain live
insects, or their eggs. Importers after
securing from the Secretary a procla-
nation to that effect might possibly be-
come careless or Indifferent regarding
the work of disinfection knowing that
their stock was free from inspection or
quarantine upon entering the United
States.
That very important oversight in
the bill is the omission of a section
prohibiting the landing Of animals de-
trimental 10 horticulture or agriculture.
Under Rule Nil of the Regulations Of
the State Board Of Horticulture, such
animals that live upon fruit. are ex-
cluded, but this protection only covers
California.
Sections ;. 6. and of the bill deal
with stock that is about to be trans
ported from one State or Territory. or
the District of Columbia. into another
State or Territory. or the District of
Columbia, and would be subject TO in
terstate commerce law. The regulation
- So.
more difficult question to handle. our
experience in California may be good
precedent in formulating such laws. for
we believe such inspection should come
under State rather than national legis-
lation. That as the people must directly
interested in the condition Of the trees
and plants are those living in the dis
trict where they are to be planted. and
as they should have the say regarding
inspection. so il is our opinion that ma
ttonal law should go no further than to
control imports and interstate traffic.
as far as trees or plants passing
through one State or Territory TO an
other. leaving each State, so desiring,
TO legislate for its own protection. by
passing laws that are applicable to its
own conditions and interests.
Hoping that you viii give this mat
ter your kind and due consideration, we
remain yours very respectfully.
"ELWOOD COOPER. President.
"B. NJ. Lelong. Secretary"
At a meeting of the State Board of
Horticulture. which are those referred
TO by Secretary Lelong. held in San
Francisco. August 10 1894, the follow
ing regulations were adopted. in ac-