544 Journal of the Department of Aiiwu ultuke. — Dec, 1922. 



Free State. The number in tlie Cape increased by 12, in the Trans- 

 vaal 13, the Orant^e Free State 7, whilst Natal remained the same. 



The total numl)er of plants, shrubs, ornamentals, trees, vines, etc., 

 reported by nurserymen as likely to be ready for sale during- the year, 

 compared with the number for the i)revious year, was for 1920-21, 

 28,178,279, and for 1921-22, 26,976,751. Of these, forest 1rees 

 comprise 21,188,515 and 19,505,055 respectively. 



The total number of common fruit ti'ees in process of production, 

 but not expected to be ready for sale durino- the year, was reported to 

 be:— Deciduous, 2,617,775 and 2,316,767; citrus, 952,800 and 1,071,425 

 for 1920-21 and 1921-22 respectively. 



The number of new nursery quarantines imposed was twenty (of 

 which seven applied to the entire i)remises) in 1921-22 against sixteen 

 in 1920-21 and twenty-one in 1919-20. Eed scale (C. aurantii) on 

 citrus trees continues to be the chief cause for quarantine. At the 

 close of the year nine quarantines were in force. 



The citrus stock under quarantine aggregated 12,000 i)lants. A 

 list of the nurseries in quarantine is published monthly in the Join nal 

 of the Department. 



A disease which is causing- some alarm in the Western Province, 

 on peach stocks principally, is crown gall, whilst in the Maritzburg 

 area many apple stocks are lost through the s])read of Sclerofium 

 sclerotiorium. The first case in the Transvaal of this latter disease 

 was reported at Magaliesburg-. 



4. Iinportations of Flatits. Frvifs, Seeds, (ind Beeswax. — (i) 

 Plants. — The importation of plants is reflected in the subjoined table. 

 Pear stocks show a slight falling off, whilst the importations of cherry 

 and plum stocks have been relatively higdi. Other items vary but 

 slightly from the records of last year. European pear stocks continue 

 to arrive infested to a slight degree with crown gall and scale insects. 



The temporary suspension of the i)rohibition on blight-proof apple 

 stocks, of which notice was given in the last report, led to the issue of 

 permits for the introduction of 312,000 stocks through the winter of 

 1922. 



Figures in brackets refer to the number of separate permits issued for introduction. 



