DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 79 



ner, it seems more probable, in the light of the experiments that have 

 been tried, that this is merely an excuse to account for injuries due to 

 careless handling of the trees. 



That fumigating is effectual against the San Jose scale has been 

 demonstrated by the fact that the writer has never found living San 

 Jose scale on trees that have been fumigated, where there was reason, 

 to think that it had been brought from a nursery. Although compara- 

 tively few Michigan nurseries are infested, the number in the eastern 

 states from which many thousand trees are brought each year is quite 

 large, but our state law, which requires the fumigation of all stock 

 that is subject to the attack of San Jose before it is brought into Michi- 

 gan, seems to have been very effectual in preventing the bringing in of 

 scale upon nursery stock. 



The Michigan nurseries in which the scale has been found have 

 gladly co-operated in all the efforts that have been made to rid their 

 stock of its presence, and with the work that is being done in other 

 states there seems to be little reason to fear the introduction of the 

 scale upon nursery stock. While careful inspection of nursery stock 

 before it is dug will show the presence of scale if it has become in any 

 way abundant, the minuteness of the insect and the fact that at the 

 time when the inspection is made the young are appearing, make it 

 impossible for anyone, even with the most careful examination, to say 

 that the trees are actually free from the presence of the scale. Al- 

 though the law does not require the fumigation of stock, except when 

 it is known to have been grown near where the scale has been found, 

 from the very nature of the case it would be far better if the fumigation 

 of all stock could be required. 



What was said regarding the development of the scale in nurseries 

 applies to this year's experience with it in orchards. Although a large 

 number of orchards have been found to be infested during the year, 

 in no case has the scale been found except in sections known to be 

 infested at least one year ago. As might be expected from the minute- 

 ness of the insect, new infested areas are constantly being found but, 

 without exception, they have been within short distances of orchards 

 that have been infested for some years. The scale spreads most rapidly 

 and does most harm in the larger villages and cities. The trees them- 

 selves were obtained from a large number of nurseries, which alone in- 

 creases the chance of obtaining infested trees. Then, too, the small 

 lots bring the trees close together and it is not strange for the scale to 

 spread the length of a street before its presence is known. 



The same steps as in former years for the eradication of the scale 

 in orchards have been taken. When the trees are very badly infested 

 and especially if they are of poor varieties or for any other reason 

 are of little value, their destruction is advised. This is also the best 

 course to pursue when the insect is confined to a few trees, but as a 

 rule, one cannot be sure of this and especially after the scale has been 

 on a tree for two or three years it is more than probable that it has 

 spread to some of the others in the vicinity, even though its presence 

 cannot be detected. Whenever the condition or kind of the trees makes 

 it advisable to attempt to save them, the work should not be delayed 

 and it should be prosecuted with the utmost thoroughness. In order to 



