DEPARTMENT REPORTS. 87 



its presence had not been previously detected. This, however was ex- 

 pected, as they were located in sections where the scale had been found m 

 nearby orchards. 



The^ fumigation of all nursery stock that has been grown m infested 

 nurseries or within one-half mile of where the San Jose scale has been 

 found, after destroying all trees upon which the presence of the scale 

 can be detected reduces to a nfinimum the danger of spreading the scale 

 upon nursery stock. 



While it is probable that the San Jose scale has appeared in sections 

 where its presence has not been noted, it is quite sure that its distri- 

 bution in Michigan is much less than is supposed by many persons. It 

 has never been found in the counties north of Oceana, Newaygo and 

 Gratiot, and it is confined to one or two points in each of those named. 

 Even in the southern part of the state there are several counties from 

 which it has not been reported, and a number of others where it seems 

 to be confined almost entirely to some of the larger villages and cities. 

 In the counties of Berrien, Van Buren, Allegan, Monroe, Wayne and 

 Macomb it has become quite generally distributed, although there are 

 many townships in those counties in which it has not been found. In 

 Ottawa, Kent and Oakland counties there are sections in which a larger 

 portion of the trees are infested, but except in the cities and villages 

 it has not become generally distributed in the other counties. From 

 the above it can be seen that the counties in which fruit growing is 

 most extensively pursued are those which have suffered most, while 

 the sections in which general farming is the leading industry and the 

 orchards are small and generally scattered have as yet been but little 

 injured by the San Jose scale. 



During the past year great progress had been made in combating . 

 the scale, particularly in the fruit belt, and by the commercial growers 

 who fully realize the danger that threatens their orchards, and are 

 prepared to destroy the foe. A large number of orchardists have erected 

 steam cooking plants and are equipped either with power sprayers, or 

 with barrel outfits that suffice for the purpose. 



On the other hand many farmers who have but a few trees, and 

 which they are growing with little care, do not realize the danger that 

 threatens, and those who do consider the fruit of such small value that 

 they do not care to go to the trouble and expense of securing a spray- 

 ing outfit and treating the trees. This is also true in the towns and 

 villages where the number of trees is often so small as to hardly justify 

 the expense of a spray pump. Under both of these conditions the diffi- 

 culty could be prevented if persons could be hired to spray the trees. 

 This has been done in many cases, but even in sections where spraying 

 has been practiced for years it is difficult to secure any one to take up 

 commercial spraying. 



Experiments during the last year have again conclusively shown that 

 the sulphur-lime mixture is not only the cheapest, safest and most ef- 

 fectual remedy against the San Jose scale, but that it is worth alji it 

 costs as a fungicide for the control of the many diseases to which fruit 

 trees are subject. Until some equally effectual remedy is found the use 

 of the standard formula of sulphur and lime is recommended whenever 

 trees are infested with San Jose scale. The tests made by the writer, 

 as well as by hundreds of the leading fruit growers indicate that where 



