THE MONTHLY BULLETIN". 367 



incliued to bid defiance to the many unjust and admittedly illegal ordi- 

 nances that exist in this State, preventing them from making shipments 

 of certain classes of nursery stock absolutely, and without inspection? 

 We do not ask for anything, except that which we are in all justice 

 entitled to. We want inspection and not general condemnation. We 

 want to be accorded the same courtesies that would be extended to 

 others engaged in horticultural work. 



A new pest, the alfalfa weevil, is doing an immense amount of damage 

 to the alfalfa fields of Utah and adjoining states. This pest would be 

 a serious menace to the alfalfa fields of California and every precaution 

 should be exercised to prevent its introduction. A movement is already 

 on foot, so I have been given to understand, which has for its sole pur- 

 pose the prevention of the shipment of nursery stock from Utah. Can 

 any one explain why this is the case? Does this insect infest fruit trees? 

 If there is no proof that it does, why place this one product in the con- 

 demned class? There would be far more reason for prohibiting the 

 movement of trains used for passenger traffic and freight service, which 

 pass through the infested section from being allowed to come into Cali- 

 fornia, as there is for making nursery stock bear the responsibilities 

 for the conveying of this pest. 



In conclusion, allow me to say that the nurserymen are deserving of 

 just as much consideration as any other branch of our horticultural 

 interests, and it is high time that the tendency to make them the butt 

 for every new regulation, pertaining to the shipment of stock between 

 states and counties, should not be so framed as to make them bear all 

 the burdens for every new pest which springs into existence, and 

 threatens our horticultural interests. 



Chairman Cook. Mr. Roeding, I presume, Avill be ^Yilling to be 

 questioned. I think this is a most important topic, one of the most 

 important that will come up at this convention, because the nursery- 

 men are a great body of benefactors; we owe very much to them, and 

 Ave must be in accord with them and they must be in accord with us. 

 It seems to me to be very important that we light upon something at 

 this convention that will help us to settle this question. ]Mr. Roeding 

 is lying awake nights over this, although his appearance does not show 

 it. I hope that this will be a very friendly and cordial discussion, and 

 that we Avill all try to get at something that will help us. 



Mr. Merrill. ]Mr. Chairman, this is not exactly the question, but I 

 think some people here would be interested in knowing what the county 

 commissioners have to say in their reports on this subject. Twenty- 

 eight counties kept a record of the nursery stock that they inspected 

 last year and of the trees rejected. There were something over eight 

 million trees inspected. This applies only to fruit trees and plants of 

 commercial importance. Of these two hundred and twenty-nine thou- 

 sand were condemned. Now the dual system of inspection is in force, 

 and out of eight million inspected trees, two hundred and twenty-nine 

 thousand condemned, it doesn 't seem to me to be such a very great loss. 



