108 STATE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



give the necessary instructions for the control of the scale without a 

 personal visit, but in many others, visits were made to infested localities 

 and the spread of the insect determined and measures taken for its 

 control. 



For the most part, local inspectors have only been appointed in sec- 

 tions where commercial fruit interests are important, but as reports have 

 come in of the presence of the scale from townships which have had 

 no inspectors, the attention of the township boards has been called 

 to the requirements of the law^ and inspectors have been appointed. As 

 many of them were unfamiliar with their duties, it has been customary 

 to spend a day with them to explain these duties and assist them to 

 become familiar with the appearance of the more troublesome insects 

 and diseases and with the methods of combating them. 



In the section of the state where the San Jose scale first made its 

 appearance, in the counties of Kent, Allegan, Van Buren and Berrien, 

 the fruit growers have not only become satisfied of the danger which 

 threatens their orchards from the spread of this insect, but they have 

 taken measures for controlling it by using lime-sulphur mixture. Where 

 the remedy has been properly prepared and thoroughly applied, ex- 

 cellent results have been secured as in many orchards which were quite 

 badly infested in 1906, no indication of the presence of the insect could 

 be noticed, even upon the fruit, in 1907. Although it has been found 

 in many orchards that were not known to be infested previously, com- 

 paratively little spread of the scale has been noticed. It has not yet 

 made its appearance north of Kent and Gratiot counties, except in 

 one place in Oceana county. Specimens from a single tree in Benzie 

 county have been received, but it is evident that they were upon the 

 tree when it was planted and it is not known to have spread. 



PEACH YELLOWS. 



For a number of years the yellows has been confined largely to the 

 lake shore counties south of Mason county. In sections where the 

 industry was of importance, the owners of the orchards have been able 

 to hold the disease in check so that the losses have been very light, 

 but during the past year it has made its appearance in a number of coun- 

 ties away from the lake shore in which its presence had not been known 

 and where the owners of the orchards not being familiar with the ap- 

 pearance of the disease did not recognize the danger and hence took 

 no steps to control it. In such cases the losses have been very large 

 and in many cases entire orchards have been wiped out. This had been 

 the case in isolated points in Barry, St. Joseph, and Calhoun counties. 

 The disease is also doing some damage in the western portion of Ne- 

 waygo county but up to the present time it does not seem to have ob- 

 tained much of a foothold in Mason county to the north although it 

 is evidently working in that direction. Visits have been made to all 

 infested points and the appointment of township commissioners has 

 been brought about and endeavors made to impress the owners with 

 the importance of taking prompt and decided action to control the dis- 

 ease. 



