Report of the Entomologist. 857 



increase of botli insect and fungus pests, a considerable amount of 

 leniency has been exercised, especially in tlie case of fruits exposed 

 for sale in markets and sliops. 



Inspection of Orchards, Nurseries and Gardens. 



I regret having to report that for this work the number of 

 inspectors is too few, one of the latter having resigned and another 

 temporarily placed in charge of the operations connected with the 

 eradication of the St. John's Wort, the latter being a work of grave 

 importance ; and in place of the inspector who has resigned, another 

 has been appointed and is expected to shortly enter upon his new 

 duties. At Mildura an inspector has been appointed and a portion of 

 his salary contributed to by the Department of Agriculture ; this new 

 departure, owing to the extent and comparatively isolated position of 

 the settlement being absolutely necessary. 



Some indication of the extra work entailed upon the few inspectors 

 may be gleaned from the fact that according to the Report of the 

 Government Statist the area under orchards has increased at a rapid 

 rate, and in 1902-3 consisted of 45,885 acres, the latter being the 

 area of orchards cultivating fruit for sale, and in addition to the above 

 there are no less than 5,976 acres laid down in private gardens grow- 

 ing fruit for home consumption. 



Inspection of the nurseries still continues on a satisfactory basis, 

 this being one of the most urgent portions of the inspectoral work. 

 These nurseries are inspected every six months, and when found clean 

 and free from disease are passed by the visiting inspector and a 

 certificate to that effect given. The system of nursery examination 

 has been very successful, especially in the United States, and it should 

 be equally successful here. It is to be hoped that the other Australian 

 States may soon follow our example, as it is in the nursery where the 

 real danger lies, and it is from such places the distribution of the 

 San Jose scale and other serious pests has invariably been traced. 

 During the year 1,931 certificates have been issued by this branch, 

 the number of packages of plants exported under our certificate being 

 3,637. 



The work of destroying old and worn-out orchards, mostly relics 

 of land boom times, continues and no pains will be spared to get rid 

 of this nuisance, as well as menace to the grower, be he growing for 

 sale or otherwise. 



Fumigating and Treatment of Used Fruit-Cases. 



Plants and cuttings coming into Victoria from foreign parts or 

 from the other States are fumigated at the Burnley Gardens, that is 

 if a certificate of same having been treated at the port of shipment 

 does not accompany the consignment, and even then we reserve to 

 ourselves the right of examination, and, if found necessary, insist 

 upon the double fumigation. In the North-Eastern districts many 



