North American Fruit Explorers mailing list at ibiblio

["Donna &/or Kieran" <holycow@cookeville.com>]

Jerry, 

    ANY seeds???  I don't think so.  I know I read in years past that small amounts of vegetable seeds can be brought in with no problem.   Is Ficus carica a carrier of some virus?  If erring on the side of caution is good, then is there a source in the US for this species?     

    I know that Ficus seeds are very small and I know that the seeds would be cleaned.  I also know that the US is allowing great big crates made of Chinese wood to be shipped into the US from which borers have infested US trees.  AND they are allowing plants to be grown outside the US to be dug up and brought in to sell for planting, which sounds to me like total insanity.  I do feel that this is a subject worthy of discussion, but I find it a little shocking to hear that the moving of ANY seeds into the US is illegal.  Apparently I have been hearing of terrible crimes being committed by our local immigrant population when I just thought they were talking about growing stuff from back home.  And APHIS definitely needs to come confiscate at least one entire aisle of the Asian grocery we shopped in 2 weeks ago.  I got some Lycium berries and am thinking of trying again to grow the seeds inside.  I bought Aduki beans and finally got hold of some of the traditional Chinese "black beans" featured in so many recipes, they are actually a type of cowpea, so I want to plant both of those.  Somehow I really doubt that the USDA issued import permits for those or the jujubes that I could also try planting from.... the list goes on and on.    Donna