January gth, ipr2.] PROCEEDINGS. xv 



Federal Legislation in Canada against Insect Pests. 



A brief reference has already been made to the San Jose 

 Scale Act, which was passed by the Federal Government in 

 1898, prohibiting the importation of trees and other nursery 

 stock from countries in which the San Jose Scale occurred. 

 In 1901, fumigation stations were established at six of the 

 Customs ports, through which nursery stock was allowed to 

 enter during certain periods of the year after fumigation with 

 hydrocyanic acid gas. Beyond this power to fumigate imports, 

 the Federal Government had no authority to take further action, 

 should it be necessary, to prevent the introduction of further 

 insect pests into Canada or the spreading of insect pests in 

 Canada. In 1909, winter webs of the Brown-tail Moth were 

 found on shipments of nursery stock imported from France into 

 Ontario, Quebec, and British Columbia : the same insect was 

 also firmly established in Nova Scotia. It was necessary, there- 

 fore, that we should have the necessary powers to prevent the 

 introduction of this pest into those parts of Canada not already 

 infested and its spreading in regions where it had become 

 established. Accordingly, the Destructive Insect and Pest 

 Act was passed in 19 10, under which regulations were made 

 providing for the prohibition of entry, fumigation on entry, or 

 inspection subsequent to entry, of nursery stock, or defining 

 other conditions under which nursery stock and other vegetation 

 might be introduced into Canada. The regulations, which 

 include all tlie provisions of the San Jose Scale Act, also provided 

 for the treatment of vegetation or premises to prevent the 

 spreading of insect pests, the destruction of any crop, tree, and 

 other vegetation infested, or suspected to be infested, the 

 granting of compensation, and such other steps as might be 

 considered necessary to carry out the objects of the Act. 



All vegetation and nursery stock, except certain classes of 

 florists' stock, such as green-house grown plants, herbaceous 

 perennials, bedding plants, etc., is allowed to enter Canada 

 through certain ports only, at six of which, namely, St. John^ 



