86 ANNUAL REPORT OF THE Off. Doc. 



the Gypsy moth or the Brown-tail moth. Often a village resident 

 with but a few trees takes more interest in them than does a coun- 

 try resident, and earnestly seeks advice for their protection. When 

 this is not given he produces inferior fruits, or loses his trees, and 

 thus his property is destroyed. For example, the borough of Ship- 

 pensburg in Cumberland county was once known as the "Town of 

 Fruit Trees." Practically every resident grew his own fruits on his 

 own limited premises. The San Jose scale came in, and spread more 

 rapidly in the town than in the country, as is always the case. It 

 soon worked havoc with the trees, until at the present time there 

 is scarcely one of the older fruit trees left within the borough limits, 

 and almost the fruit is produce where formerly there were hundreds 

 of barrels. Had this inspection service been started in time the 

 citizens there would have been taught to recognize and suppress the 

 pests that were destroying their trees. As it is, they can do nothing 

 more than to plant again with the knowledge that it is possible to 

 build new and better structures upon the embers of the old by fol- 

 lowing the directions that are now so readily obtainable. In this 

 new planting also they may obtain expert advice as to the best 

 varieties for home use, which is an important item for any person 

 planting trees. 



The detailed orchard inspection service was undertaken ten years 

 ago, or in 1904. We have had only funds enough to employ an aver- 

 age inspecting force of about twenty-five (25) men. This gave to 

 each inspector a district comprehending more than two and one- 

 half counties. This inspection service was of course interrupted by 

 the orchard demonstration and supervision duties, by the nursery 

 inspection in his district, by the inspection of importations, and 

 by other special duties, as well as by bad weather; but it was con- 

 tinued with all energy possible. 



A daily report was made giving the details of the inspections made 

 by each man. A record of this is kept in the office, showing just 

 where he was engaged, and the kind and extent of the service ren- 

 dered. An effort was made to complete the inspections systematically 

 by townships. This service was continued year after year, finishing 

 one county after another, until now it is completed in every county 

 of the State excepting six, and it will require but a few weeks to 

 complete the remainder. It has reached the people, and has awak- 

 ened them to a realization of what pests are present, and has given 

 them definite instructions as to how to suppress these pests and pro- 

 duce better crops. They have followed the instructions given, and 

 as a result Pennsylvania produced far more and better fruits last 

 year than ever before. In fact, last year she rose from as low as 

 about seventh in the relative rank of fruit production to second 

 only the first being the State of New York. Through such work as 

 this Pennsylvania is forging ahead. The results are unquestionable. 

 The rural people know this to be a fact. 



It has been so long since the orchard inspection work was un- 

 dertaken that many new orchards have been planted, and the demand 

 for it is far greater than ever before because people know that it has 

 become more helpful. It has but recently been made to include the 

 inspection of grains in bins, potatoes and fruits in cellars, and pests 

 on farm and truck crops. It can well be developed along these lines 

 to reach much more than the orchard or fruit service. To do this 



