April, '11] SYMONs: seedling inspection 265 



The nurserymen or grower provides a clean space in a packing shed 

 and his force of men are put to work trimming the seedhngs. These 

 men are under the supervision of a personal assistant from the office 

 who inspects all the seedlings after they have been trimmed. Instruc- 

 tions are given all the men to pull off all old leaves or anything that is 

 attached to the individual seedlings. All found bearing a nest of 

 brown-tail moth or other suspicious cocoon or egg mass are thrown out 

 and destroyed by the inspector immediately. All packing is also 

 destroyed and boxes properly treated by the inspector. Every precau- 

 tion is taken to keep everything of a waste character in the given 

 space, so that no opportunity is given for anything to escape. One 

 inspector can carefully examine seedlings from thirty or forty men 

 after they have been put in a convenient shape for handling. 



Thus one man has been able to properly care for the inspection of 

 an enormous amount of stock at one place. The inspection has not 

 interferred with the routine of nursery work, and the whole has been 

 taken care of at a minimum cost. 



One of our greatest difficulties is the proper inspection of consign- 

 ments to department stores, auctioneers, etc. During the past year 

 a quantity of miscellaneous ornamental stock has been received by such 

 parties in Baltimore. In such cases the conditions are not as favorable 

 for thorough work as at the nurseries. It is a question if such stock 

 consigned to parties in the immediate vicinity should not be inspected 

 at a quarantine station. 



In performing our duty as state inspectors I believe we should stand 

 firm on our requirements, for the best interests of all concerned, but 

 I believe we should be as practical as possible in devising methods so 

 that such provisions may be successfully carried out. 



We must maintain the confidence and cooperation of both the 

 grower and nurseryman. Nothing will so easily dispel this confidence 

 or lessen a cooperative spirit among growers than lack of efficiency in 

 work undertaken due to impractical or costly methods of procedure. 



President Washburn:' The chair would fike to ask Mr. Symons 

 what precautions are taken regarding the cuttings or trimmings before 

 the inspector takes hold of the work. 



Mr. Symons: Nothing is done until the Inspector arrives. 



Mr. Burgess: I would like to ask Professor Symons what is the 

 method of handling the consignments that go to the auctioneers. 



Mr. Symons: Up to the present time it has been a rather ineffective 

 form of inspection. Practically all of this stock has come from Holland, 

 and in our experience, we have never found anything on Holland stock. 



