My wife's book group is reading "Lolita" and they came across a passage about the pair driving through Arizona and California, where at the border "a policeman's cousin would peer with such intensity at us....[and ask] Any honey?"
    Do any of you know whether there were such inspections 40 years ago and if so, what would they be looking for?   Or is this just part of Nabokov's imagination?
 
Yo Bll:
 
First of all, shame on your wife, and her book group! :-)
 
I'm sure someone on *this* group will be able to provide you with more up to date information than me but, yes, AZ & CA both had border inspection stations 40 years ago.  However, they weren't looking for just honey.  It seems like they were trying to prevent the introduction of various plant, insect, etc. diseases/pests into each state.  
 
At least that was the offical version, perhaps grounded somewhat in truth, but also influenced by politics and state protectionism as time went by.  My personal opinion of the state of CA will be forever tainted by the memory of having one of those border guards confiscate a bag of my Fla. oranges, and then watching him in my rear view mirror as he proceeded to eat one of them.
 
I don't know about the honey thing.  I think Nabokov might have taken a bit of literary license on that point, but I'm not at all sure.
 
 
Skip
 
 
Skip & Christy Hensler
THE ROCK GARDEN
Newport, Wash.
http://www.povn.com/rock