Evening star., 1925-11-17
GROWERS UPHOLD
FOREIGN BULBBAN
Americans Declare Industry
Here Greatly Expanded in
Anticipation of Demand.

PQttoti VI 1S'ttC''a'
American bulb growers rose To the
defense OF the Department of Agrt-
culture pest quarantine against i'm
portation Of narcissuS and some
other bulbs set for January ! at the
hearing in the New National Museum
This morning. following presentation
of the case for those opposed to the
exclusion yesterday.
Both Yesterday afternoon and this
morning, dispute over the quaran-
tine, which would affect millions OF
bulbs, has developed spiritedly. with
,h8rges and counter charges tyinG
back and forth.
Opposition to the ban. which came
from the American Bulb Dealers of
New York. from the Massachusetts
horticultural Society. the Garden
Club OF America and others repre-
seuting dealers, private growers and
women of the country. claimed that
the Department of Agriculture was
not justified I'm shutting out the mar
cissuS and other bulbs on account
of menace from possible infestatiou.
and proposed that more rigid in
spection he made at ports OF entry.
Foreign bulbs. it was atteSted by
several witnesses FOR the opposition
10 the ban, We're either wholly or
comparatively free from iufestation.
and We're needed for the American
market.
Defends Proposed Ban.
Representative Charles l.. Aber-
r"thy, Democrat, North Carolina.
opening a defense of the ban and the
Department of AgriCulture's action.
--aSt er13V afternoon Ie,lapaJ thDT he
department had notified American
growers to prepare for the quarantine
and that growers had invested heay-
Ily therefore in the prospect of meet
ing increased demand for American
bulbs. He pleaded that the Govern
ment keep on the embargo.
Kisses from an underlined hart of
the audience greeted ID. remark made
by Mr.. Abernethy In connection with
me plea of the opposition to let in
French bulbs. 81 have no objection
especially to France" he said. but
they just don't pay their debts"
Kisses which rose in volume were
stopped when Assistant Secretary of
Agriculture Dunlap, presiding. rose in
his chair to rap for order Mr.. Aber-
nethy was roundly applauded
Presentation Of the embargo de-
tense by the American Bulb Growers
committee, was IN charge Of Alex
ander y. White of Brooklyn, who
made the opening statement ana
called on numerous growers to testi-
~. American bulbs will he able soon
to meet the entire domestic demand.
Mr.. White said.
Sites Heavy Investment.
We're lighting about Il question OF
money declared MIR. White, explain
No
around the matter of whether the
bulb business was to go to foreign
growers or American growers.
The Department OF Agriculture. he
said had decided that disease Was
coming into the United States in i'm
ported bulbs of such nature as TO
endanger not only American horti-
-niture, but American agriculture.
The Department had, he declared.
told American growers to prepare for
the quarantine, and these growers
consequently had made heavy in.
Festments in land buildings and bus.
mess. The growers. he explained.
would be supported by testimony later
oy farm organizations, representa-
tiVes of the National Grange and
farm bureaus
Charges by Mr.. White that a great
campaign OF propaganda had been
successfully carried on by those finau.
clally interested in opposition to the
pan, influencing the women of the
country, We're challenged by Mrs. Har-
old L. Pratt, secretary of the Garden
Club or America, in so far as her or
Sanlzauon was concerned. Her club,
Mrs. Pratt declared, had obtained It's
information from the Department of
Agriculture and from other official
sources.
. Says Industry Is Growing.
Accelerated public opinion" Mr..
White charged, had been developed
against the ban to lead the women of
the country to believe there would
be practically no more narcissi avail.
able. The public, for the most part.
ne explained, was in ignorance of
The efforts being made by American
growers TO supply the demand.
MT. White agreed that at the pres
ent time the industry in the United
states was In growing but an "un.
oeVeloped state" and proceeded to
introduce witnesses testifying to the
nealthy condition of America n grown
bulbs now and the millions OF bulbs
which have already been planted in
anticipation of the demand next year.
I ne market so far this year. Mr..
White declared, had been 80 much
oVerstimulated' by the ''propa ga nda"
mat IN all probability the demand
next year would be below normal
anyway. factor which would he
helprul, bringing the situation back to
normal in supply and demand under
domestic production only.
Practical growers native of HoI-
land, who have come to America to
grow bulbs here, were introduced to
TESTIFY that climatic and soil condi.
tons here were as favorable as In
Holland. Some We're of the opinion
that there would be no acute shortage.
Extensive Fields in Virginia.
TideWater Virginia Is growing about
3o,o00,000 narcissi, according to w.
G. Weiss of Portsmouth, Va, who
explained that all bulbs he Is grow
ing in several sections of the South
came from England several years ago
and show no signs of disease. The
daffodils in Washington, which he
said contribute so much during
March and April to make the Ma
tional Capital beautiful with their
thousands Of dancing yellow blooms,
rome, for the most part, from Tide
water Virginia.
Representative Herbert Drane of
Florida said he had made a special
trip from that State TO enter briefly
his protest against any lifting of the