Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1912-08-20
CONGRESS PASSES BILL PRovl0'
ING FOR QUARANTINE AGAINST
FRUIT INSECTS.
MILLIONS LOST ANNUALLY
TO FRUIT GROWERS
United States Had Become Dumping
Ground for Refuse Stock Of Foreign
Nurssrymen-San Jose Scale and
Other Pests Cited to illustrate Enor.
NOUS Damaae-New Posts Threaten.
Especial Correspondence

Washington. Aug. 2o.-Grave dan
gers which threaten the fruits ana
plants of this country have been met
by congress, or at least the effort 10
meet them has been made, by the pas
sage Of the bill to regulate the i'm
portation Of nursery stock and other
plants and plant products and to enable
the secretary of agriculture to take
adequate quarantine measures against
plant diseases and insect pests.
The bill has been passed by both
houses of congress. The senate put II
thru with scarce a word of discussion.
despite the fact it promises to be OF
untold value to the fruit and plant in
terests of this country.
Millions Lost Annually.
Millions Of dollars are now lost an
nuaily in this country by the ravages
of insects and diseases on plants ana
fruits The United States is the only
great power without protection up 10
this time from the Importation OF in
sect infested or diseased plant stock
The purpose Of the bill just passed. 10
to afford this protection.
investigations Of the senate committee
on agriculture, has become sor. VI
dumping ground for refuse stock. DIS
ca sed livestock is excluded by law but
diseased and insect-infested plants are
not barred.
More than half Of the important in
sect pests of fruits and farm crops d.
OF foreign origin and these no" ceu1.
z mn v.
properly enforced quarantine anu
inspection law in the past woulo naVe
excluded many, If not most. OF these
insect enemies and also many PAM
diseases
Other Pests Threaten.
But while many pests ana ois=
Of plant life have been lntroouceu'
there are others that threaten III
portant orchard and fruit pests ~,
Furope and Asia can be euaroeu
against and there is Just now espec'al
danger OF new and destructive pes's
from Asia. .,.-
ore of the gravest dangers threat
ened 10 the fruit industry OF .h,e
country is the Mediterranean ny. ms
nest has moved around the worlo i'on'
the Mediterranean Regions 10 -
tra,ia and Hawaii. The states on '.,e
Pacific coast are alarmed lest e''e ~ :.
he introduction from Hawaii. 10! ~
should get a foothold it wouid rum VI.
citrons ard deciduous fruit rafches =.
.he Pacific coast and having ooile tia
would move on eastward.
II is believed the enactment "
new measure will help shut OUT ''ie
Mediterranean fiy. Another
da,per is the likelihood OF tHe M
duction Of the potato wart WIN AZ,
; nor,ed potatoes. This disease "ouiu
M, a blight on potato production III
this country. {. VIZ
st,,, another grave danger is tns
likelihood OF the establishment III 'his
country of the white pine pllster rus
rhich has caused enormous losses II
certain districts in Europe, particular
i. IN Seeding pine stock. This disease
=, recent wears has been imported OF
seeding pines into many states.
San Jose Scale Cited.
Assn illustration Of the pests or ols
o,ses which this legislation Is lntenoeo
first TO shut out. and then, II 1h'ro
dnced to stamp out. the San Jose seal
NAV he cited 1t was introduced iron
| (,rth China and has been carried int
every state in the union on nurser
stock. This pest has already cost tn
orchardists Of this country $5oooo'oo
/ q wear and Is adding to the loss al IN
rate Of 100000 year. :,
The alfalfa leaf weevil has recentl
been introduced from abroad and tner
is danger 1t will spread its ravages a.
thru the great alfalfa regions OF tn
Mississippi valley and the Paciii
coast.
The embark beetle and the chest
nut blight are types Of foreign pest
which have come in here and ar
working havoc.
The danger which led to the first at
tempt to get this legislation is still
existence-that is. the likelihood OF tn
establishment thruout the Unite
States OF the gypsy and brownie
moths with nursery stock importe
from Europe. In the last few year
such infested material has been carrie
Ito no less than twenty three states.
In spite of the apparent need 70
this legislation, importing nurseryme
and thru them the National Aasocia
tian Of Nurserymen have in the pas
fought against It. The legislative com
mittec OF the National Association c
Nurserymen. however. has recently &C
cepted the bill as desirable and &C
cepta BILE to their interests.