The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1912-03-07
WAR ON THE PESTS
Legislation Favored That win
Save Farmers Money.
United States Continues Fight TO Keep
Out Dangerous Foreign Insects
or Plant Dlseases-3lAme
Nursery stock.

I ana dangerous luBeCl pests vi pi"h'
/ diseases which may be brought In
! with imported nursery stock Is active
/ ly favored by the department or agrf
/ culture. A strong concerted effort Is
being made to array the nursery trade
! of this country against such legisla'
ton and put this Important Industry
In the attitude of opposing reasonable
legislation, which is as much for lis
own protection as 1t is for the pro
/ lection of fruit and forest interests.
/ In view of the evident misunder-
standing which Is being broadly cir
culated In relation to the intent Of
the proposed act and OF its probable
manner of enforcement, and the
groundless fear that the secretary OF
agriculture or his experts would take
an unreasonable attitude toward
nurserymen. the department has made
a statement which says In part:
Practically all the European pow
ers have stringent plant inspection
laws, and, in the case OF the United
States absolutely prohibit the entry
of nursery stock. Apples and other
American fruits are admitted only
when the most rigid examination
shows freedom from insect tnfesta-
ton. Canada and other important
British possessions have similar pro
ective legislation.
The United States Is the only great
/ power without protection from the
| importation of insect infested or dis
eased plants. and thus becomes sort
/ of dumping ground for European
refuse nursery and ornamental stock
/ This does not often apply to the I'M
portatlons of the larger and reputable
importing firms, but does apply to the
poorly packed miscellaneous orna
mental and other stock imported
by department stores of large cities
or that sent to this country to be
sold under the hammer by auc-
tioneers for whatever price may be
obtained.
The immediate darGer which led to
the recent effort to procure legislation
was the discovery, In 1909, Of the
abundant importation and wide dis
| tributlon into the United States Of
nursery stock infested with brown
tail moth nests and occasional egg
masses of the gypsy moth. During
the years 1909 and 1910 such infested
stock was carried into twenty-five
states, covering the country from the
Atlantic seaboard to the Rocky noun
talns. During the first of these
years no less than 1000 winter nests
of the brown-tail moth, containing APP
proximately 100000 larvae. we're
found In shipments into New York
state aIone--seed material enough TO
infest the whole United States within
a few years.
During the second of these years,
6l7 OF these nests were found on nurs-
cry stock shipped into the state Of
Ohio, and much larger number, APP
proximately the same as the year
previous, were again sent into New
York. Smaller numbers of these
nests, proportional to the amount OF
nursery stock received, were sent into
other states east OF the Rocky noun
tains during both OF these years
Fewer brown-tail moth nests wern
received during the season just end
ed G910-1D, owing to the agitation
| In this country and more strict super
vision by foreign governments. These
winter nests are, however, still com.
Ing In and the danger Is now perhaps
even greater for the reason that as
lnfestation becomes more infrequent
laxity of examination is likely to
result
II is scarcely necessary to comment
on the danger to this country from
the careless Introduction and wide dis
tributlon of gypsy and brown tail
moths In a limited district In New
England more than q million dollars
year has been spent for long
period In mere effort to control
these two insects, and the general
government il now appropriatine
100000 annually to endeavor to clear
them from the border of main high
ways and thus check their spread
These expenditures do not take into
account the actual damage done. but
they do serve as a measure of the
danger to the whole country from
the recent distribution OF these tive
insecss on imported nursery stock
More than half of the important in.
sect enemies and plant diseases row
established In this country have been
brought in on imported nursery stock
and new insect enemies and new dis
eases are being thus introduced every
year. Twenty different insect pests,
new to this country. some OF them
very formidable in the old world.
have been intercepted in the anspec-
tons of the imported material by this
department this year, and this does
not include the Introduction OF brown
tail moth nests and other European
pests with imported seeding stock.
A properly enforced quarantine and
inspection law In the past would have
excluded many, II not most. of the
foreign insect enemies and plant dis
eases which are now levying an enor
nous annual tax amounting to sew.
eral hundred million dollars on the
products Of the farms and orchards OF
this country.
In spite Of the many pests which
have already gained foothold and the
control of which will be a permanent