214 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS 



1-2 EDWARD VII., A. 1902 



the place in November last, the insect could be found in every part of the orchard. I 

 have no doubt but that, unless some treatment is given the trees next season, serious 

 loss will ensue. In another orchard of 1,000 peach trees, near Niagara, in August, 

 1899, seven experienced men spent six days in making a critical examination, and 

 found only 87 slightly infested trees. In the season of 1900, this orchard bore a full 

 crop of fruit, but the scale insect spread through the whole orchard and could be 

 found on every tree. By the beginning of November, 1901, many of the trees were 

 dead, and all practically so for any commercial purposes. This was a direct result of 

 neglect, nothing having been done to rid the trees of their enemy. Many other in- 

 stances might be given, but they all tell the same tale, that the San Jose Scale must 

 still be considered, as it has always been claimed to be by entomologists, the pest most 

 of all to lie dreaded by fruit-growers. These latter, therefore, as a class, should do 

 everything in their power to back up and help the Government in its wise endeavours 

 to protect the country from further importations from abroad and from allowing the 

 insect to increase in Canadian orchards. Every one can help in this matter, for it can- 

 not be denied that the chief reason that this pest has done so much harm as it has, is 

 because fruit-growers themselves, from not recognizing the gravity of the case, 

 have not helped, or even, in some instances, have opposed the steps taken by the Gov- 

 ernments to control it, and. moreover, have not, in their own orchards, applied the 

 remedies which the latest experiments have proved to be the best. 



Remedial Measures Taken. — It may not be amiss to recapitulate from my last 

 annual report t»3 restrictions under which, by the amended San Jose Scale Act, nur- 

 sery stock may now be imported into Canada from countries where the San Jose 

 Scale is known to occur. ' When it was discovered that this insect could be killed on 

 nursery stock by fumigating with hydrocyanic acid gas, at the ui'gent request of many 

 fruit-growers, horticultural societies, nurserymen and others, by instruction of the 

 Minister of Agriculture, proper fumigating houses were erected in the spring of 1S99 

 at such points on the boundary as it was thought would be most convenient to im- 

 porters, and qualified superintendents were appointed to treat any nursery stock, trees, 

 Bhrubs and other plants as might be imported through these ports, and then repack 

 and send them on to their destination as promptly as possible. For this purpose, fumi- 

 gating with hydrocyanic acid gas, using the formula recommended by the United 

 Si ales Entomologist for dormant stock, was adopted, it being the simplest effective 

 formula, viz., one fluid ounce of commercial sulphuric acid, one ounce of refined cyan- 

 ide of potassium (it's per cent), and three fluid ounces of water, to every 100 feet of 

 cubic space — exposure 45 minutes. These fumigating houses were located at the 

 customs ports of St. John, New Brunswick ; St. Johns, Quebec ; Niagara Falls and 

 Windsor, Ontario ; Winnipeg, Manitoba ; and Vancouver, British Columbia. The 

 whole expense of these stations was assumed by the Dominion Government, but all 

 shipments were made entirely at the risk of the shippers or consignees, the Government 

 assuming no risk whatever. The packages had to be addressed so as to enter Canada 

 at one of the above-named ports of entry, and the route by which they were to be 

 shipped, clearly stated upon each package. 



' Many horticulturists and nurserymen availed themselves largely of this conces- 

 sion, and at every point much stock was imported from the United States and Japan. 

 Nursery stock of all kinds can be imported from Europe without fumigation, as the 

 San Jose Scale has never gained a foothold in European countries. Certain other 

 plants which are not liable to the attack of the San Jose Scale arc also exempted from 

 treatment under the San Jose Scale Act. These are : (1) greenhouse plants, including 

 roses in leaf which have been propagated under glass ; (2) herbaceous perennials, in- 

 cluding strawberry plants ; (3) herbaceous bedding plants ; (4) all conifers ; (5) 

 bulbs and tubers ; (0) cottonwood (Populus monilifera), grown in Minnesota and the 



Dakotas. 



' The fumigating houses were kept open with a superintendent constantly in at- 

 tendance through the seasons of spring and autumn shipments of stock. As all vege- 



