172 ANNUAL REPORT Oh THE Off. Doc. 



the nurserymen are compelled by act of Assembly to dispose of all 

 diseased stock, yet aside from thai they aiti taking decided measures 

 by the erection of fumigating plants and other means, to effectually 

 stamp out the troublesome pests. 



The year just closing has seen a decrease in the loss to farmers and 

 market gardeners from injurious insects. Apparently the Hessian 

 lly, the Augoumois moth, the cabbage worm and other usually 

 abundant insect forms have for some reason been less plentiful. The 

 Angoumois moth causes some loss to the wheat growers in the east- 

 ern counties, but through the information disseminated by this Di- 

 vision two years ago relating to this insect enemy, the loss has been 

 very materially diminished judging from reports received from the 

 iiifested territory. The tent caterpillars were not nearly so numer- 

 ous as last year. The destructive work of this insect became so ap- 

 parent to everybody that it led to a "general uprising" which re- 

 sulted in the destruction of thousands of caterpillar nests all over 

 the State, and such measures were taken, by the banding of trees and 

 other means, that would effectually stop any further damage from 

 this source. Insects injurious to the fruit crops of farmers still 

 prevail such as the codling moth, curculio, lice, etc. But I am glad to 

 state that very many farmers are beginning to see the good results 

 obtained by spraying, and other remedial measures, which will 

 eventually become more general as the outcome of such work be- 

 comes apparent. 



The work of inspecting the nurseries, as required by act of As- 

 sembly, began August 1. Owing to the territory being so large, and 

 more than one inspector could effectually cover in the limited 

 time, it was deemed advisable by the Secretary to employ two addi- 

 tional inspectors in the persons of Profs. W. A. Buckhout and Geo. C. 

 Butz, of The State College. The State was divided into three dis- 

 tricts, namely, eastern, central and western. Prof. Butz made the 

 inspections in the eastern district. Prof. Buckhout in the central and 

 Mr. Enos B. Engle^, the regular inspector, was given the western dis- 

 trict. The inspectors completed their work in ample time to permit 

 of the issuing of all certificates before the selling season opened. 

 There were one hundred and ninety-seven inspections made during 

 the year, seven of which were granted certificates expiring on July 31, 

 11)02. For the year ending July 31, 1902, the inspectors visited one 

 hundred and forty-seven nurseries, two of which were forest reserva- 

 tions covering many acres of land in Luzerne and Monroe counties; 

 and while these are not nurseries proper, the inspection was made by 

 Mr. Engle upon request of the owners and proprietors. This tract 

 covers ten thousand acres on which is grown Rliododendrarinaxima 

 and these were granted certificates to sell stock after a thorough ex- 

 amination, as it was possible to make under the existing circum- 

 stances. 



