

Fruit Trees Injured by Mice. — "The mice have done thousands 

 of dollars damage to fruit trees, and even raspberries are badly in- 

 jured bj"^ them." 



Etna, 4-10 97. D. K. Michenor. 



What are the best preventatives for this pest? Address replies to 

 the secretary. 



Not Afraid of the San Jose Scale.— "A. W. Latham. I am very 

 sorry that yourself and others have created such a great scare over 

 the advent of this terrible pest. As horticulturists, we have real 

 troubles enough without indulging in fearful forbodings of terrible 

 calamities that are not at all likely to materialize. If you will care- 

 fully read Bulletin No. 3, Department of Agriculture, which treats 

 exclusively of San Jose Scale, you will be able to alleviate some of 

 the fears that j'ou have created. You can tell your readers that the 

 San Jose Scale is not the terrible thing that j'ou thought it was, that 

 on account of the severity of our climate it is not at all likelj'^ that 

 it will ever trouble us in Minnesota, and that if it should, it yields 

 as readily to insecticides as other insect pests. Two spra5'ing8 with 

 whale oil soap will use it up. It will alwaj's be safest for people 

 who love peace and quietude to pay little attention to calaiuity 

 howlers, whether they howl about the end of the world or the San 

 Jose Scale." 



Owatonna, March 27, 1897. E. H. S. Dartt. 



Mr. Dartt is evidently getting his information from an old bulle- 

 tin, the writer of which, as I am informed by Prof. Otto Lugger, the 

 state entomologist, has changed his views radically on the subject 

 since its issuance. A letter lately received from him shows him 

 fully in accord with what is at present being done to restrict the in- 

 juries of this pest. Secretary. 



The Tree Swindler at Large.— Some three j^ears ago a man 

 appeared in this section with choice specimens of fruit carefully 

 packed in cotton, and if any one wanted these rare varieties, this 

 agent could graft their orchards, promising fancy returns. This 

 bait took, and he secured lots of orders and signed contracts, a 

 necessary part of the scheme. In due time a gang of men catne 

 along and filled the trees with grafts, the more the better; then a bill 

 for several hundred dollars, which most of the farmers paid, pre- 

 ferring to be plundered out of court instead of having the expense 

 of trial. One of the victims died before the contract matured. Her 

 administrator contested the claim. It was tried last week and a jury 

 awarded the plaintiff the full amount claimed, which with costs 

 will be over $500, and it has not yet been learned what kind of apples 

 these grafts will produce. Sharpers should not be permitted to 

 plunder people in this way. — O. J. Farmer. 



