214 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



There is scarcely a doubt but that infested stock has been sent from 

 these nurseries to many places in the State of New York. If the attempt 

 that is being made for the extermination of the scale in the State during 

 the present year is to prove successful, it is of the utmost importance that 

 each locality where possibly infested trees have been delivered within the 

 past five years (dating back to the probable establishment of the scale on 

 Long Island) should be ascertained, and carefully inspected as soon as 

 possible. Request was accordingly made of the proprietors of these in- 

 fested nurseries, that they would furnish the State Entomologist with a list 

 of their New York sales from and including the year 1890 to the present. 

 One of the firms promptly complied with the request, so far as it could be 

 done without involving excessive labor, and sent to this office extended 

 lists, at the same time oftering to open their books for further examina- 

 tion and transcription by any one who might be commissioned for the 

 purpose. 



It is due to this firm — Keene & Foulk, Bloodgood Nursery, Flushing, 

 L. I., that they be specially mentioned and commended for the earnest 

 manner in which they are working for the extermination of the scale in 

 their nursery. They have asked for suggestions and directions and have 

 promptly and faithfully carried them out — not only in burning and 

 spraying, but also in arranging, under the best approved method, for the 

 fumigation by the hydrocyanic acid gas treatment of all the stock that 

 they send out this season; the latter should insure the destruction of any 

 scattered individual scales that may have been overlooked. They will 

 also, upon request, replace at half-price, all such infested stock that has 



tion to Mr. Sirrine or by other proper means, of the extent of the infestation in your nurseries ? 

 2. Have you taken up and burned the stock that was found to be the worst infested ? 3. To what 

 extent and with what results have you sprayed with proper insecticides such other infested stock 

 as it was not thought necessary to wholly destroy ? 4. Have you arranged for treating the nur- 

 sery stock sent out this season with hydrocyanic acid gas, according to the approved directions 

 published and accessible to you ? 5. Have you sent out any nursery stock this year which may 

 have been infested without having been subjected to the gas treatment ? 



In the answer returned by the Parsons & Sons Company to the above-mentioned letter, the 

 only reply to the questions proposed is that found in the following — prefaced by, "We only 

 knew last fall of the San Jose scale." " He [Mr. Sirrine] has informed us now of the plants in- 

 fected, and we shall take them up and burn them as soon as possible. It is our intention to de- 

 stroy rather than to spray. In the plants now sending out we have not noticed any infected ; it 

 would be impossible in any event to subject to the gas treatment while in the rush of sending off 

 trees." 



Is it possible — as may be inferred from the above, that up to the middle of April, absolutely 

 7tothins had been done by this company toward freeing their nurseries from this dangerous 

 insect ? 



In the absence of present legislation authorizing entrance upon private grounds for the destruc- 

 tion of the San Jos^ scale, it only remains for purchasers of trees, shrubs, etc., subject to its at- 

 tack to protect themselves so far as they may, by withholding orders from localities known to be 

 infested and where no efficient measures have been and are being taken for its extermination. 



