Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-03-20
The United States Law Re-
garding Insect Pests.
Something, Says Prof. Hitchings,
That Everybody Should Know.
Relic From Garrett Under Dome Of the
CapitoI.--CoTporations.

Prof. f.. +. HitchinSS of Watcrville.
State cntomologist. was at She a.ricul-
tural department MunlHy forenoon. on
business connected with the cruSa de
against the broWntatl moths, Il matter
with which he is at presen. very busy.
In speaking about insect pests in
general Prof. Hitchings sail That COM
para,iNcly few people in Maine or III
the United States knew chat there eX-
listed a law against transporting the
that there was d heavy fine for the
thereof. He further said that
it was matter which should be known
by everyone, and at his request the text
of the law is given below. The law was
passed by the House of Representatives
Feb. Is, 1905. under the title OF An Act
to prohibit interstate transportation OF
insect pests. and the us, oe the United
States mails for that purpose" and is
as follows:
Be it enacted by the Senate and
House of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress
assembled, That 40 railroad, steam
boat, express, stag. or Gthc: trans
portation company shall transport
from one State or Territory into an
other State or Territory. or from the
District of Columbia into il State or
Territory, or from Stale q" Territory
into the District Of Columbia. or from !,
foreign country into the United States.
the gypsy moth downfall moth
leopard moth, plum curcuIio, hop plant
louise. or any of them III Il liv" state, or
other insect in a live state which is
VIGOROUSLY injurious to cultivated
crops, Including vegetables. field crops,
bush fruits. orr hard trees. forest
trees, or shade trees; or the eggs.
pupac. or larvae of any insect injurious
as aforesaid. except when shipped for
scientific purposes under tn" reg;lla-
tons hereinafter provided for: nor
shall any person remove from ore StaIn
or Territory into another state or
Territory. or from a foreign country
into the United States. or from Il Stat"
or Territory into the District of
Columbia. or from the District OF Co
lumbia into any State or Territory, eX-
Ccpt for scientific purposes under the
regulations hereinafter provided for,
the gypsy moth. brown-tail moth,
leopard moth, plum Curculio. mop plant
louise, or any Of them in live state,
or any other insect in q live state which
is VIGOROUSLY injurious to cultivated
crops. including vegetables. field crops.
bush fruits. orchard trees, forest trees
or shade trees: or III" eggs. pUpac. or
larvae Of any insart injurious as ufurc-
said
Thai hotter I:l.r..I.i box
or other packing" ru:ot3iniu- tlr ':&I.sy
moth, brou-n-tail Innth. I"",,a::l III hth,
plum curculiO. hop plaNt-iDIl$', a. any
of them in live state, on otner insect
in live state which IS nG:orinlISly i'll
furious to cultivated crops, Including
vegetables. field crops. lush fruits
orchard trees forest trees. rr shade
trees. or any letter. parcel, IoX OF
package which contains the eggs
pupae. or larvae Of any insect injurious
| us aforesaid, whether sealed as fins.
| class matter or not, is hercby declared
! to be nOnmailable matter. except when
| mailed for scientific purposes under tn,
| regulations hereinafter provided for
and shall not be conveyed in the mails
nor delivered from any postprlice. non
l
! mailed for scientific purposes; under The
| regulations hereinafter provided Tor;
and any person who shall! knowingly
deposit. or cause to be DEPOSIT "a. foI
mailing or delivery. anything declared
| by this section to DO nonInailubl. plat-
ter, or cause the same 10 D.. taken from
| the mails for the purpose of retaining
| circulating or dispoSinG of. or of ailin.
| in the retention, circulation. or dis
| position of the same shall. for each anC
| every offenSc, be fined, Upon conviction
| thereof. not more than five Thousand
dollars or imprisoned at hard labor MOI
| more than live years, or both. at the
discretion of the court: Provided. Tha
| nothing in this Act shall authorize any
person to open any letter or scalcC
| matter of the first class not addressed
to himself.
Sec. 3. II shall be the duty Of the
Secretary Of Agriculture. and he is
! hereby authorized and directed To- pre-
| pare and promulgate rules and rcSula
| tons under which the insects covered
| by sections one and two of this Ac
may be mailed. shipped. transported
and removed, for scientific purposes
from one state or territory into anothe
i state OF territory, or from the Distric
of Columbia into a state or territory
| or from Il state or territory into tn,
| District of Columbia, and any insec
! covered by sections one and two of thi
Act may be so mailed, shipped, trans
ported. delivered, and removed, 70
scientific purposes. under the rules AM
| regulations of the Secretary of Agr
culture: Provided. That the rules ant
regulations of the Secretary Of Agri
culture. in as far as they affect Tho
| method yof mailing insects. shall be ap
proved by the Postmaster General
and nothing in this Act shall be con
strued to prevent any state from max
ing and enforcing laws in furtheranc
or regulating the admission into tina
| state of insects from foreign country
Sec. 4. That any person, company
| or corporation who shall knowingl,
| violate the provisions of section ono o
this Act shall, for each offense. be fined
\ moon conviction thereof. not more thai
! five thousand dollars or imprisoned a
hard labor for not more than five years
or both. at the discretion of the court.