DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 185 



to llie lime required in crossing tlie ocean, it was not strange that much 

 of it arrived in a damUged condition, particular!}^ greenhouse phmts 

 Avhich did not arrive until after Christmas. The inspection is particular- 

 ly necessary to prevent the introduction of the gypsy and brown-tail 

 inoths and we are very glad to report that no specimens of either insect 

 w^ere found upon the imported stock". 



This department is also furnished by the United States Department of 

 Agriculture with reports of all shipments of nurseiy stock, timber, stone, 

 etc., from the gypsy moth area in New England and whenever possible 

 we have arranged to examine this stock upon its arrival. The freedom 

 of the shipments from insect pests indicate a very thorough inspection 

 on the part of the state and federal authorities. 



WHITE PINE BLISTER RUST. 



Eeference was made in my last report to this new^ danger which 

 threatens the Michigan white pine forests and the oniamental planta- 

 tions. During the year. Congress made an appropriation of |300,000.00 

 to enable the United States Department of Agriculture to prevent the 

 spread of this disease and to eradicate it wherever possible. The depart- 

 ment was also authorized to promulgate such quarantine measures as 

 was deemed necessary for the purpose. A hearing was held in Washing- 

 ton on April 10, 1917, by the Federal Horticultural Board which w^as 

 attended by representatives from a large number of states as well as 

 by many nurseiymen. After thoroughly investigating the matter, the 

 Secretaiy of Agriculture announced a quarantine which forbade the 

 shipment of white pine and other five-leaved pines, as well as currents 

 and gooseberries, from any state east of the west line of Minnesota, Iowa, 

 Missouri and Arkansas into any state west of that line. Shipments of the 

 five-leaved pines and black currants from New York State and from the 

 New England States into any other state, were placed under quarantine. 

 At the hearing in Washington, it was shown that although the greatest 

 injury has been done in the above states, the disease is found in New 

 Jersey, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Ontario. Some years 

 ago it w\as also found in Ohio and Indiana but the infected trees w^ere 

 destroyed a id no trace of tlie disease has been found for a number of 

 years. 



Until the past spring, we had no knowledge of the disease in Michigan. 

 As stated in the report for lOlG, all of the nurseries growling white pines 

 and many of the ornamental plantations, were examined during the year 

 by specialists from the United States Department of Agriculture and no 

 trace of the disease was found but it has now been discovered upon four 

 trees in a nursery in the eastern part of the state. These trees were 

 brought from France some eight years ago and from the location of the 

 infection at the base of the tiimk, it was very evident that the trees 

 were infected when they were imported. None of the trees in the 

 shipment showed any indications of a secondaiy infection. The owner 

 has not only destroyed the trees in which the disease w^as found but all 

 of the other trees in the block to the number of nearly 100. During 

 the last three or four j-ears, something like twenty-five wliite pines have 

 been sold by this nursery. All of these have been carefully examined 

 without finding trace of the disease. We trust that it will give no further 

 trouble. 



