PROCEEDINGS OF TIIK ANNUAL MEETING I-IT 



NUilSEllY AND ORCilAllD INSPECTION. 

 BY U. r. IlKDHll'K, .MICHIGAN' AGRICULTUliAL COLLEGE. 



A hnv "to pieveiit the introduction and spread of San Jos<5 scale, or 

 other injurious insects, or of infectious diseases of trees, vines, slirubs, 

 or ])lants, grown in tliis state, or imported from other states, provinces 

 or countries," was passed by the last ley,islaLure. 



The law was the outgrowth of a need, expressed in the preamble just 

 given, brought most forcibly to the attention of the horticulturists of 

 the state by the discovery, during the summer i)receding the meeting 

 of the legislature of 189(5-7, that !San Jose scale, one of the worst of all 

 insect pests, had secured a firm foothold in several parts of the state. 



Up to this time the menacing presence of San Jos^ scale in several 

 neighboring states had caused but little alarm to fruitgrowers in Michi- 

 gan. But few orchardists in the state knew much, if anything, about 

 the pernicious pest, and probably none realized the danger that threat- 

 ened their orchards. An investigation of the matter by the experiment 

 station authorities revealed the full gravity of the situation, and as the 

 danger became better understood and as it was realized that should the 

 pest become generally distributed in the orchards of the state it would 

 there remain a standing menace, a constant foe, without hope of final 

 extermination, a call to arms was sounded. Fruitgrowers and nursery- 

 men, generaled by the State Horticultural society, the State Board of 

 Agriculture, and the authorities at the experiment station, responded. 

 The outcome was a bill, which was introduced in the legislature by 

 Representative Graham of Kent county. The bill became a law, and the 

 contest between the commonwealth and the small but numberless and 

 devastating foe was on. 



It may be well to refresh your mind as to the general import of the 

 law. The act has five main provisions, to secure the enforcement of 

 which an inspector, known as state inspector of nurseries and orchards, 

 is appointed by the State Board of Agriculture, and penalties of fine and 

 imprisonment are provided for violations of the law. The five provisions 

 may be briefly stated as follows: 



1. That in case the inspector find no dangerously injurious insects 

 or diseases in a nursery, he is to give the owner of such nursery a certi- 

 ficate to that effect; but if such pests be found, the owner of the nursery 

 must be notified, in a specified manner, to exterminate the pest before 

 delivering his nursery stock. The inspector may enter affected nurseries 

 and take measures necessary for extermination of the pests, holding 

 the owner liable for the costs of such proceedings. A per diem fee of 

 |3 is required for the work done under this provision. A violator of this 

 section of the law may incur a fine of |1 for every affected plant shipped 

 from his nurseiw. 



2. Every package of trees or plants shipped into the state must be 

 plainly labeled with the name of the consignor and consignee, the con- 

 tents, and a certificate showing that the plants have been inspected 



