No. 7. DEPARTMENT OP AGRICULTURE. 165 



mine of information, for there is to be found a practical demonstra- 

 tion of almost anything he desires to know and there too, the oppor- 

 tunities for detailed illustrations exist. 



It is most gratifying to note the increasing interest farmers are 

 taking in the extermination of the .Scale and other insects which 

 endanger their trees. They have come to a full and wholesome 

 realization of the fact that they must do something to preserve their 

 trees or el.se lose them, and as a consequence they are doing their 

 best to help carry out the wishes and directions of the Department. 

 Moreover, many of them have taken note of the fact that their neigh- 

 bors who take good care of trees, are reaping increasing rewards for 

 their labors in securing better fruit, and that has acted very ma- 

 terially as a stimulus to horticulture on more modern lines. 



Not a few farmers and tree growers have expressed to me their 

 conviction that the work in which we are interested is one of the 

 greatest undertaken by the State for the benefit of the farmer This, 

 of course, is a stimulus to the inspector and affords encouragement 

 to greater activity. It is genuine encouragement to have farmers 

 invite you to make another visit, or to repeat it two or three times, 

 and otter in addition to invite his neighbors around to see a demon- 

 stration, when only a year, or possibly a year and a half ago one 

 had almost to force his way into an orchard. 



So far as the outlook in Lebanon county is concerned, I take pleas- 

 ure in reporting that there is brilliant prospect of better fruit. By 

 keeping before the farmer the need and methods of pruning and 

 spraying, and educating the tree grower to the benefits which may 

 be derived by so doing, the day will not be long delayed when all 

 tree growers will do their share in the work, and every insect-pest 

 making trouble now will be under control. 



Of course, this happy and much-to-be-wished-f or time is made more 

 uncertain by reason of new obstacles in the shape of unreliable and 

 unwarranted insecticides which are being placed in the market by 

 unscrupulous dealers, who are doing their best to enrich themselves 

 at the expense of the tree grower. I would strongly advocate legis- 

 lation to curb this growing evil. Dealers should be restricted to the 

 sale of goods which have been tested and known to be absolutely 

 reliable and effective. The sale of poor insecticides is not only an 

 injustice to the buyer but naturally retards the work of exterminat- 

 ing the Scale. But here again the service of the Inspector is of vast 

 benefit to the tree grower, for the Inspector can be of inestimable 

 value in suggesting best treatment, and by his experience can rec- 

 ommend such materials as are known to be most conducive to the 

 health and safety of the tre^s. In this regard the demonstration 

 orchard is again conspicuous as a means of illustrating the value of 

 such compounds. 



In my opinion it would be well to hold orchard meetings during 

 the rest of the fall season, and during the next spring, conducting 

 such meetings in the different townships perhaps all day, devoting 

 the mornings to tree pruning, and the afternoons demonstrating 

 proper methods of sj^raying, and concluding in the evenings with 

 public lectures and conferences on both subjects. 



I am convinced that as far as Lebanon county is concerned, at 

 least, that if there was even a suggestion of abandoning the work 

 at this time, there would be a protest of vigorous kind, from her 



