(T. D. 39789.)

Australian export bounty.

Net amount of bounty on the Australian sugar content of certain articles declared in T. D. 39541 of March 24, 1923, reduced to £9 sterling per ton.

TREASURY DEPARTMENT, September 17, 1923.

To Collectors of Customs and Others Concerned:

The department has been informed through the Department of State that the Australian Government has reduced from £14 to £9 sterling per ton the rebate on the Australian sugar content of jams, canned fruits, etc., exported from Australia between July 1, 1923, and June 30, 1924.

The net amount of bounty declared in T. D. 39541 of March 24, 1923, is therefore hereby reduced accordingly.

(67760.)

MCKENZIE Moss, Assistant Secretary.

(T. D. 39790.)

Mail importations from Canada.

Parcels containing general merchandise or books to be accompanied by customs declaration, or commercial invoice, or statement of value.

TREASURY DEPARTMENT, September 19, 1923.

To Collectors of Customs and Others Concerned:

With respect to mail articles posted in Canada and addressed for delivery in the United States, the department is in receipt of a communication from the Postmaster General advising that the Canadian postal authorities have issued instructions requiring that on and after November 1, 1923, customs declaration (Form 91B) shall be attached to all parcels of general merchandise (parcel post) prepaid at parcel-post rates, and that commercial invoice or statement of value shall be inclosed with books prepaid at printed matter rate, and also in sealed parcels of general merchandise prepaid at letter rate.

Inasmuch as the observance of these supplemental mailing regulations, which were issued at the instance of this department, will materially facilitate the appraisal and treatment of the steadily increasing volume of mail importations from Canada, collectors of customs should report any general disregard thereof.

MCKENZIE Moss, Assistant Secretary.

(T. D. 39791.)

Foreign currencies-Rates of exchange.

Rates of exchange certified to the Secretary of the Treasury by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York under the provisions of section 522 (c), tariff act of 1922.

TREASURY DEPARTMENT, September 25, 1923.

To Collectors of Customs and Others Concerned:

The appended table of the values of certain foreign currencies as certified to the Secretary of the Treasury by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York under the provisions of section 522 (c) of the tariff act of 1922, during the period from September 13 to 19, 1923, both inclusive, is published for the information of collectors of customs and others concerned.

(103512.)

MCKENZIE Moss, Assistant Secretary.

(T. D. 39792.)

Plant quarantine act—Fruit and vegetable quarantine.

Notice of Quarantine No. 56 (Department of Agriculture) relating to fruits and vegetables, with regulations, published for the information and guidance of customs officers.

TREASURY DEPARTMENT, September 22, 1923.

To Collectors and Other Officers of the Customs:

The appended copy of Notice of Quarantine No. 56 relating to fruits and vegetables, with regulations, issued by the Secretary of Agriculture, is published for the information and guidance of customs officers.

(92655-19.)

MCKENZIE Moss, Assistant Secretary.

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE.

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY.

FEDERAL HORTICULTURAL BOARD.

Fruit and vegetable quarantine-Notice of Quarantine No. 56, with regulations-Effective on and after November 1, 1923.

INTRODUCTORY NOTE.

The fruits and vegetables which are open to entry under the quarantine, and the restrictions on such entry, are indicated in regulation 2. No restrictions are placed on imports from Canada under this quarantine, and no prohibitions are placed on fruits and vegetables from Mexico other than those that have been long in force on account of the Mexican fruit fly, avocado weevil, and certain potato pests.

The board believes that the permitted fruits and vegetables are reasonably safe, but if there is any risk with respect to these, the provision in the regulations for inspection and control at port of arrival will give opportunity to exclude, if necessary, any shipment. If, as a result of such inspection, fruits or vegetables from any country or district are found to be infested with dangerous pests, such finding may be made the basis for additional restrictions.

The conditions governing the issuance of permits, inspection, and disinfection are those which have hitherto been enforced with respect to existing special quarantines restricting and safeguarding the entry of fruits and vegetables from various countries, notably in the case of Quarantine No. 49, with regulations, on account of the citrus black fly, which quarantine is now replaced by Quarantine No. 56.

The safeguarding of prohibited or restricted fruits and vegetables and plants or portions of plants used as packing in connection with such fruits and vegetables, whether as cargo, stores, or otherwise, arriving at a port where entry or landing is not intended, will be enforced under regulations 9 and 10 of the rules and regulations governing (1) Entry for immediate export, (2) Entry for immediate transportation and exportation in bond, and (3) Safeguarding the arrival at a port where entry or landing is not intended of prohibited plants and plant products. For convenience of reference, these regulations are reproduced in this Notice of Quarantine No. 56. (See page 117.) C. L. MARLATT, Chairman, Federal Horticultural Board.

60469 -24-VOL 44- -8

Fruit and vegetable quarantine-Notice of Quarantine No. 56, with regulations— Effective on and after November 1, 1923.

The fact has been determined by the Secretary of Agriculture, and notice is hereby given: (1) That there exist in Europe, Asia, Africa, Mexico, Central and South America, and other foreign countries and localities certain injurious insects, including fruit and melon flies (Trypetidae), new to and not heretofore widely distributed within and throughout the United States, which affect and may be carried by fruits and vegetables commercially imported into the United States or brought to the ports of the United States as ships' stores or casually by passengers or others, and (2) that the unrestricted importation of fruits and vegetables from the countries and localities enumerated may result in the entry into the United States of injurious insects, including fruit and melon flies (Trypetidae).

Now, therefore, I, Henry C. Wallace, Secretary of Agriculture, under authority conferred by the act of Congress approved August 20, 1912 (37 Stat. 315), do hereby declare that it is necessary, in order to prevent the introduction into the United States of certain injurious insects, including fruit and melon flies (Trypetidae), to forbid, except as provided in the rules and regulations supplemental hereto, the importation into the United States of fruits and vegetables from the foreign countries and localities named and from any other foreign country or locality, and of plants or portions of plants used as packing material in connection with shipments of such fruits and vegetables.

On and after November 1, 1923, and until further notice, the importation from all foreign countries and localities into the United States of fruits and vegetables and of plants or portions of plants used as packing material in connection with shipments of such fruits and vegetables, except as provided in the rules and regulations supplemental hereto, is prohibited.

This quarantine leaves in full effect all special quarantines and other orders now in force restricting the entry into the United States of fruits and vegetables with the exception of Quarantine No. 49, with regulations, on account of the citrus black fly, which is replaced by this quarantine. A list of such quarantines and restrictive orders is given in Appendix A of the rules and regulations supplemental hereto. Done this first day of August, 1923. Witness my [SEAL.]

hand and the seal of the United States Department of Agriculture. HENRY C. WALLACE, Secretary of Agriculture.

Rules and regulations supplemental to Notice of Quarantine No. 56, governing the importation of fruits and vegetables into the United States.

REGULATION 1. Definitions.—(a) Fresh fruits and vegetables: The edible, more or less succulent, portions of food plants in the raw or unprocessed state, such as bananas, oranges, grapefruit, pineapples, tomatoes, peppers, lettuce, etc.

(b) Plants or portions of plants: Leaves, twigs, or other portions of plants, or plant litter or rubbish as distinguished from clean fruits and vegetables, or other commercial articles.

(c) Port of first arrival: The first port within the United States where the shipment is (1) offered for consumption entry or (2) offered for entry for immediate transportation in bond.

(d) Inspector: An inspector of the Federal Horticultural Board, United States Department of Agriculture.

REGULATION 2. Restrictions on entry of fruits and vegetables.-All importations of fruits and vegetables must be free from plants or portions of plants, as defined in regulation 1 (b).