DEPARTMENT REPORTS. . 129 



THE BARBERRY CAMPAIGN. 



As was stated last year we also have a cooperative arrangement with 

 the Bureau of Plant Industry of the U. S. Department of Agriculture 

 for the eradication of barberry bushes which harbor the black-stem-rust 

 of wheat. This includes not only the green and i>urple leaved forms of 

 the common barberry (Berheris vulgaris), ])ut several other species, 

 including Berheris Canadensis, B. Sinensis, B. ilicifoiium and B. aqui- 

 folium or mahonia, besides some twenty other species which have been 

 little planted in Michigan. 



Although under the agreement, the scouting was to be done l)y tlie 

 Department of Agriculture, owing to the failure of the appr()i)riation 

 bills, very little was done by its inspectors during the summer and in order 

 that the barberries might be located and destroyed as soon as possible, 

 two of the regular inspectors of this department were assigned to bar- 

 berry inspection when they could be spared from other duties, and 

 three others were specially employed for the work during July, August 

 and September. Later on, the department of Agriculture put on a force 

 of seven to ten men. The winter was unusually favorable for the work 

 and it was continued with little interruption, with the result that when 

 spring opened all of the cities and larger towns had been scouted, and 

 many of them had been covered a second time, to make sure that all 

 had been found and removed. 



In addition to very large numbers in the parks, cemeteries and private 

 grounds which were removed and no report made, before the regular 

 canvass began, barberries were located by the inspectors on over 1,000 

 places in the city of Detroit alone, and the number reported by them 

 was nearly 150,000. Several of the smaller cities had even more in pro- 

 portion to the number of homes. 



With very few 'exceptions the owners removed them promptly when 

 the object was explained, and thanks to the excellent publicity given 

 the matter by Dr. Coons, who had charge of the work for the U. S. De- 

 partment of Agriculture, this was very generally understood, although 

 a considerable number were not able to distinguish the dangerous species. 



ORCHARD SPRAYING AND DUSTING. 



In years when wet weather prevails as the buds on fruit trees are 

 opening, many complaints have been received that the fruit is scabby 

 even though the trees were sprayed following the usual formulas. The 

 opinion has been that if the trees had received the dormant spray for 

 scale the second application might be given at any time while the trees 

 were in blossom. The spores of the apple scab pass the winter in the 

 leaves upon the ground and if the weather is favorable are likely to infect 

 the new leaves and blossom buds very soon after they develop. For this 

 reason it is unsafe to delay the so-called "pink" spray until the blossoms 

 are ready to open as is so often practiced. On the other hand, the only 

 safe way is to make use of what has been called a "pre-pink" application. 

 At the time the flower buds begin to separate in the clusters the leaves 

 have commenced to develop and unless the trees are sprayed there is 

 danger that both leaves and buds may become infected, especially in 

 wet seasons. 



