The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-02-05
IMPORTED INSECTS
CAUSE HUGE LOSS
Destruction CT Crops Amounts to $500,
100000 Annually, According TO
Experts Estimates.

II it were announced that 800 food
laden ships valued at 81 900 each had
been sunk by submarines. the people
would be- appalled, Especially would that
he true az this time ot food shortage But,
the officials OF the United States depart
ncnt ct agriculture. tell us that conserva-
lively estimated SjO00O0.000 is the loss
caused yearly to our farm, orchard and
forest crops by imported insects, yet we
continue to import plants on which these
pests come into the country This loss
of Sjuu.uDp Oup annually is mostly food
stuiTs which would keep an army of
nearly 100000 men constantly supplied
with provisions These losses are so stu.
pendous and 50 vital a. this time That
further importation of ornamental plants
should ccasc az once. as war measure,
II for no other reason.
According 20 q recent report uf the
federal horticultural board OF the United
States department Of agriculture, 1913 in
scots and no plant diseases which might
prove harmful TO American plants were
detected in that year on imported plant
materials by federal and state inspectors.
These inspectors admit that il is impossi-
Tile 20 detect all Of these insects and dis.
eaSes, and this accounts for the discovery
every year of several new pests estab-
lishcd here,
The value of these imported plants sell
dom exceeded So, 50U0On in any one year,
set we are told by certain importers that
Il would be a great hardship on the coun-
try II this importation were to be- stopped.
The facts show that 70 continue such inn
portation is hardship many times great
q and all out 81 proportion to the gain.
Based on the growth and value of our
nursery and Horticultural establishments
as recorded by the census OF 1910 these
establishments are worth today, nearly
@UO0OOO,OOO IL would seem that these
nurseries could grow this comparatively
small amount Of material that we import.
Our leading harticultWIsts, agricultural
ists and nutscrymen agree that we can
propagate any plant IN this country that
We now import. We would keep the
money 40 home that now goes abroad
und we would not cndanger our native
plants by these foreign pests The fed
eal bureau of entomology has prepared a
list of 5000 insects alone not to speak of
the large number of plant diseases, which
has not yet been compiled, that would be
harmful 60 our native plants, but which
have not yet reached here Many Of these
are sure 20 come If we continue to briny
IN plants which are the natural carriers.
We are already spending more money
yearly, fighting imported insects and plant
diseases, than the value Of all the plants
imported and the loss caused by these
imported plant enemies is over one hun.
dred times the value ot those inporta.
tons. Other countries have lcCislated
against imported plants, but the United
States continues to be a dumping ground
Tor these pests. Cur system is haphazard.
endangci- our resources, and is unjust L.
the producers ot our food
The llessian tIy, alfalfa weevil. san jose
scale, codlJng moth. citrus eanker. chest
nut blight pine blister rust. gypsy moth
bro"ntlu moth aud leopard moth arr
only a few at the wcllEnpwu insects and
diseases that are costing the country mil
lions each year There are scores of grubs
bllghts, wood and bark hercs pnawina
away at Our resources
There Is only one way 10 avoid ncrcas
ing thls tremcudou. burden and that i.
the prohibition of importation of pIant
materials Senate bin No. 8.2A now he
lore congress seeks 60 do this and il
should have the support Of every bro
Queer and consumer OF food stutfs. Whilt
1t VIII prohibit the wholesale imp,ttatio,
OF plant, it does not prevent Ms fror
obtaining new plants ior propagating pur
poses through the department of agricul
tute