December, '09] JOUIINAL OF KCOXOMIC ENTOMOLOGY 383 



the block is examined tree hy tree, — or is left over for a second inspec- 

 tion later, the proprietor being fully instructed what he is to do about 

 it in the meantime. There is no charge for the one (first) regular 

 inspection, but when second inspections are necessary there is a siz- 

 able fee, graded according to the acreage involved in difficulty, so the 

 whole tendency is for the nurseryman to see to it that a second in- 

 spection will not be required. If a block is found to be so infested 

 that even tree by tree inspection would still be insufficient, the block 

 (or part of it) is condemned to complete destruction. Now right here 

 comes a point, — how do we know that the condemned stock is de- 

 stroyed? Well, here we are guided by circumstances. If the block 

 is very small the inspector can cut off every tree row by row with his 

 lieavy pocket knife (which is always carried for the purpose) ; or he 

 can stay on the premises while the laborers do the work of destruction 

 by this means or otherwise. Or if the condemned block is large he 

 may go his way and return later to see that the work has been done. 

 If the nurseryman is one whose whole past record and conduct gives 

 guarantee of his integrity the inspector may leave it to him to destroy 

 the stock, the nurseryman writing us when the work has been done 

 and we take his word for it. In case of doubt about the work having 

 been properly done the inspector makes another visit to make' sure. 



It should be remembered that all stock of apple, peach, pear, plum, 

 cherry, quince and apricot is required to be fumigated with hydro- 

 cyanic acid gas before it is sold from any nursery in the state, and all 

 our nurseries are required to maintain suitable boxes or rooms for the 

 fumigation, and every nurseryman is furnished with explicit printed 

 instructions on the fumigation process, these instructions also indicat- 

 ing the amounts of cyanide, acid and water required for the particular 

 box or room of the nursery to which sent. So the fumigation comes 

 in as an additional safeguard after the other conditions have been met. 



It is only in the more important cases that we arrange to have the 

 stock fumigated personally by someone from this office. The great 

 bulk of our nurserymen do their own fumigating, the inspector giving 

 them any needed instructions at time of inspection. It is true that 

 there is chance for stock to be sold without having been fumigated, 

 but we believe that our nurserymen on the whole do reasonably well 

 in meeting this requirement. 



Now a word as to the qualifications of the inspector himself. It 

 goes without saying that he should be able to recognize the more im- 

 portant insect and fungous pests that are liable to be in the nursery. 

 We all recognize this as a prime necessity in meeting the entomological 

 and pathological requirements of the situation. Should he not also be 



