144 ANNUAL, REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



REPORT OP THE ECONOMIC ZOOLOGIST. 



Harrisburg, Pa., January i, 1908. 



Hon. N. B. Critcbfield, Secretary of Agriculture^ HarrisbuTg Fa. : 



Sir: I have tlie honor to submit to you the Annual Report of the 

 Division of Zoology for the year, 1907. 



During the past year the work of this office has been prosecuted with as 

 much vigor as possible, and with results that are certainly successful, as 

 shown by the many comm.unications received, and by the improved condition 

 of orchards due to greatly increased knowledge of methods of fighting insect 

 pests in this State. 



Five years ago when the present Economic Zoologist entered this office there 

 was very little indeed known in this State concerning spraying. The number 

 of spray pumps in use did not average four in each county; trees were dying 

 by the thousands from the deadly effects of pests, orchards were neglected and 

 orchardists were discouraged; farmers had ceased to plant new orchards, the 

 sales of the nurserymen were running low, tree agents were finding great diffi- 

 culty to dispose of their wares, almost no fruit trees, as a rule, were being 

 sold, fruits were imperfect in quality and high in price, and the outlook for 

 orcharding was very discouraging. 



Recognizing the conditions and the work necessary to remedy them, the 

 present Economic Zoologist undertook a series of experiments and demonstra- 

 tions, showing how to control insect pests, with special reference to the deadly 

 and destructive San Jose Scale. We continually advocated liberal use of the 

 boiled Lime-sulfur Wash, and as fruit growers commenced to try the methods 

 recommended, all were astonished at the results obtained. They found by 

 one thorough application that they could check the pest and restore the trees 

 to fair condition of growth. Tens of thousands of trees, peach especially, have 

 been made fruitful in this State within the second year after the application 

 of the remedy prescribed. The San Jose Scale is now under satisfactory and 

 practically perfect control of fruit growers, and the men engaged in this 

 important occupation have taken renewed courage and greater interest in their 

 business. They have purcliased spraying apparatus to the extent of scores 

 in each county, and have sought information to a remarkable degree, educat- 

 ing themselves in the life histories of insect pests, methods of preserving 

 beneficial species and destroying obnoxious kinds, and of applying practical 

 remedies to save their crops. They are now seeing the profitable results of 

 intelligent activity. 



More extensive orchards are being planted in this State at present than ever 

 before; nurserymen have told us during the past year that their sales of trees 

 amounted to more than during the total five years previous; a new business 

 has been established in the sale of spraying apparatus and commercial insecti- 

 cides of various kinds, and a new profession has conie into existence in that 

 of the commercial tree sprayer. Three or four years ago at a public meeting 

 in Lancaster we recommended as a solution of the San Jos6 Scale problem, 

 that some person in each township or borough equip himself with a good 

 power spraying apparatus and go into the business of spraying orchards, or 

 that several persons in a neighborhood unite to buy a really good outfit, form 

 a partnership and do their own spraying at such times as is necessary to give 

 best results. At that time these recommendations were opposed by a prom- 

 inent fruit grower in the State on the basis that the spraying season is so 

 short that it would not pay, as several persons would want the apparatus at 

 one time, and, on the other hand, no one would want it excepting during a 

 few days only. It lias since been proven that spraying for the San Jose Scale 

 can be done successfully at any time when the trees are dormant or the leaves 

 are off, and that there is ample time for dozens of persons to use the same 

 apparatus and have as good results as they should desire. 



The possibility of a prolonged period of spraying for the San Jos6 Scale, and 

 even for other objectionable insect pests, has been fully demonstrated, and 

 consequently the profession of the commercial sprayer has developed. Each 

 year, from every township where fruits are grown, there continues to be a 

 demand for some person equipped with apparatus to do the work of spraying 

 for pests In the proper season, at fair compensation, and thus make good 



