294 ANNUAL REPORTi OP THE Off. Doc. 



whether this be seeds, plants or live stock. These should be ex- 

 amined to be sure that they are free from pests. For example, if peas 

 and beans be infested with the weevil, or if wheat bought for seed be 

 infested with granary pests, these insects are thus introduced into 

 the premises, and are sure to be in readiness to attack the new crop 

 in due season. Plants that are imported for growing, such as cab- 

 bage, tomatoes, sweet potatoes, strawberries and others, should be 

 examined to be sure that there are no lice or other pests upon the 

 leaves, stems or roots, or within their tissues. Many fine strawberry 

 beds have been ruined by introducing into them new plants which 

 had strawberry lice upon the roots. It is far better to avoid this by 

 examining tlie new plants and rejecting the entire lot among which 

 even a few pests may be found. 



The importance of a careful selection of fruit trees can not be too 

 greatly emi^hasized. The San Jos6 Scale has been introduced into 

 nearly all the counties of our State solely upon nursery stock brought 

 to orchards and planted there to bear fruit. Various other pests of 

 fruit and ornamental trees are brought into our State upon infested 

 trees, shrubs, and other plants, and it becomes almost impossible 

 to eradicate them after they are once present. A rigid system of 

 selection and inspection is the best means of preventing such pests. 

 If a grower does not know his enemies, let him be on the safe side, 

 and suspect every creature as being obnoxious until he can submit 

 specimens to specialists and learn the truth. 



In examining live stock for parasites, this also becomes very im- 

 portant at times. At this date there are herds of cattle in Lancas- 

 ter county, as well as in Berks county, infected with Texas Fever, 

 because animals infested with the cattle tick bearing this disease- 

 germ have been introduced into the herds. If inspection had been 

 made for cattle ticks, and the live stock rejected upon the first evi- 

 dence of their occurrence, the Texas Fever would have been avoided 

 in these herds. In this casf it can be seen how much more import- 

 ant is prevention than remedy. 



The selection of resistant varieties of plants is also important, 

 as the American varieties of grapes for avoiding Phylloxera, Uru- 

 guay potatoes to avoid blight and rot, Dawson's Golden Chaff wheat 

 for avoiding Hessian Fly, Kieffer pear (though a poor variety) for 

 San Jose Scale, etc. 



(3) The dates of various farm operations are found to be important 

 in preventing the occurrence of insects. This may at first seem 

 strange, but let us cite examples: For cutworms or wireworms no 

 remedies are entirely satisfactory; but is a preventive, one of the 

 best measures is plowing and cultivating the soil in the late fall, as 

 late as possible, and in early spring, as early as possible. These in- 

 sects are in the larval stage in the ground, during winter, and if the 



