154 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



After two years experience with our law we find some things in 

 it we won hi want to change. General inspection of nurseries is a 

 good feature, and while several inspections should be made annually, 

 no certificate should be granted for inspection made before August 

 first. While our law requires semi-annual inspection, we go six 

 times in the interval, if necessary. We should have also w'ell-de- 

 tined authority to enter property where trees are infested. In many 

 cases it is not necessary to destroy trees. If they can be saved 

 by a system of treatment it is preferable. This has been our policy 

 and would advise you to consider that carefully. I could cite in- 

 stances where nurserymen have been driven out of business by care- 

 lessness of neighbors. 



Another imi)ortant point is fumigation. As yet I do not think 

 it necessary to make it compulsory, but it should be left to the 

 option of the proper authoritj- to decide, and officers in charge should 

 have full control of fumigation and authority to condemn. There 

 should also be authority to quarantine and hold infested trees in 

 transit. AVe had no organization in 1896. We organized and pre- 

 sented our request to the Legislature and succeeded in getting a 

 law passed and a liberal appropriation for its enforcement. 



S. C. Moon. — Is San Jos6 Scale increasing or diminishing in Mary- 

 land? 



Prof. Johnson. — The Scale is decreasing in the State, but the 

 localities where it is found are increasing. 



On motion, adjourned. 



Tuesdav, Januarv 22, 7.30 P. M. 



The closing session was devoted to lectures by Prof. John Craig, 

 of Cornell University, subject: "Decorating the Home," and Prof. 

 W. G. Johnson, associate editor American Agriculturist, who gave 

 his "Experiences in the Most Remarkable Peach Orchards in 

 America." 



Both lectures were illustrated by views from the steriopticon, 

 and were specially interesting by being true to nature. At the 

 outset Prof. Craig disclaimed any intention of doing much talking, 

 as he proposed to let the pictures do the talking. His purpose was 

 to show that homes can be made attractive and beautiful by util- 

 izing natural scenery and the products of nature. He claimed that 

 the nearer we can imitate nature, the nearer we become the true 

 artist. The views used to illustrate his lecture covered a wide range 

 of subjects. They included illustrations of rural homes and grounds, 

 shrubbery hedges, rockwood, screens, bridges and foi'est trees. 

 Views were given also of noted English estates and gardens, and 



