6 ROYAL SOCIETY OF CANADA 
commission to inquire into the working of the San José Scale Act in this 
province. The commissioners were Dr. James Mills, President of the 
Ontario College of Agriculture at Guelph; Mr. John Dearness, a former 
President of the Entomological Society of Ontario, and Mr. W. H. Bunt- 
ing, of St. Catharines. Their instructions were, briefly, to visit the 
affected districts and ascertain whether the scale was spreading beyond 
its first observed limits, to determine what measures should be taken to 
prevent its further dissemination and exterminate it where it was already 
established, to find out how far the opposition to the Act extended, and 
generally to give the Minister of Agriculture the best advice they could 
regarding future procedure and to report to him the conclusions they 
arrived at as a result of their investigations. 
They began their work on the 20th of June last, and spent about 
three weeks in its performance, visiting six counties in the southern pen- 
insula of Ontario and examining a large number of witnesses. They found 
a great difference of opinion regarding the Act in question; those orchard 
ewners to whom its provisions were rigorously applied, or who were . 
likely to be subjected to its severe measures, were strongly in favour of 
its modification, especially with regard to the terms of compensation when 
valuable trees were destroyed and the treatment of those that were not 
seriously affected. On the other hand fruit-growers whose premises had 
not yet been invaded by the insect, were most anxious that its extermina- 
tion should be aimed at, so that their own property might be free from 
any danger in the future. The Commissioners faithfully and ably dis- 
charged their duties and in doing so failed to entirely please any of the 
parties concerned. While they praised the conscientious work of the 
inspector and his assistants, they thought that more consideration should 
have been shown to the feelings of those whose trees were condemned 
to destruction and that a less offensive method than that of “ blazing” 
should have been employed when infested trees required to be marked. 
They considered that the axe and fire method of treatment, as laid 
down in the Act, was too primitive and severe, especially as any mistakes 
miade were beyond all power of remedy, and they recommended its modi- 
fication except in cases where the affected tree was beyond all hope of 
recovery. The employment of fish-oil and potash soap dissolved in water 
in the proportion of two pounds to a gallon, they advised as a wash for 
all affected or even suspected trees; its efficacy had been proved by ex- 
periments on a large scale at Catawba Island, Ohio, and its use, even if 
unnecessary, would do no harm to the trees but rather be of service as a 
fertilizer. They advised an increase in the amount of compensation for 
trees that should be destroyed and that the owner should be permitted 
to give his testimony regarding their value. They urged also that the 

