78 STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY. 



Professor Taft — I would say regarding it that our law requires the 

 "township boards in sections where this disease is known to exist to ap- 

 jioint a commission of three who should examine the orchards and if 

 they find any dangerous insects or diseases, they are to mark the trees 

 and notify the owners in case of insects to spray them and to cut 

 them down in case of the Yellows. The inspectors have the authority 

 to decide what is best in any particular case. If the owner does not 

 do as ordered, the inspector can procure help and the work can be done 

 and charged up to him. During the last year I have been in quite a 

 large number of townships where troubles of this kind were reported, 

 and I have had little or no difficulty in securing the co-operation of the 

 local inspectors to look after infested orchards. Of course, public senti- 

 ment must be back of this effort or it will not amount to very much. 

 The law is broad enough to cover all cases. Thus far we have applied 

 it only to insects and diseases dangerous to the life of the trees. The 

 fruit-growers have in their own hands a safe and sure remedy from 

 the ordinary insects and diseases that infect trees; and what we want 

 to strive for is to have sentiment so thoroughly worked up, on the neces- 

 sity for the proper care of the orchards, that every fruit-grower will 

 only be too glad to follow any suggestions that may be offered within 

 reason. So far as the codling moth and curculio is concerned we have 

 not thought it wise as yet to require general spraying, but I think the 

 law is broad enough, if sentiment is back of it, to insist on every tree 

 being sprayed. We have over the state 99 persons Avho are not fruit- 

 growers in the strict sense of the word to one who is. While they have 

 a few trees many of them have not felt that they could afford to go to 

 the expense and trouble of spraying their trees especially for the cod- 

 ling moths and other insects of that character. We have not thought 

 it wise to re(iuire a strict enforcement of the law, which might, in 

 some cases at least, work a hardship to the growers. 



Q. Can the board refuse to appoint these inspectors when the i>roper 

 petition is represented or refuse to pay bills for their services? 



Professor Taft — ^The laAV says that if they do not carry out the re- 

 quirements and appoint competent inspectors, they can be prosecuted. 



Q. Can you enforce a town board to appoint a commission? 



A. I think so. Of course the point is to get sentiment back of the 

 law, for it is a very difficult thing to get law enforced without senti- 

 ment back of it. Where we have complaints we have gone to the town- 

 ship boards and I do not have in mind a place where I have asked that 

 inspectors be appointed that it has not been done. Our practice has 

 been Avliere we have appointed inspectors particularly in sections 

 where the Yellows is just beginning to show and have some one of the 

 state deputies go there and spend a day with them and show them 

 the appearance of the disease and tell them of its dangerous char- 

 acter, what to do, etc. 



Q. Can the law compel a man to pull out the stumps? 



Professor Taft — The real method of carrying out the requirement is 

 left with the inspectors. They can have them removed at once or later 

 on as they think best. However, it ordinarily suffices if we can get 

 the branches and growing parts lopped down and the stump pulled in 

 the spring or fall. 



