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7. /~ 2 
THE SAN JOSE SCALE. 223 
2. If the insect is found to be confined to a few trees these had 
better be taken out and destroyed, unless the infection is so slight 
that all scales can actually be removed with a stiff brush. No half 
way measures will suffice. 
3. No fruit grower should admit a single young fruit tree or a 
single cutting ora single bud from a distance into his orchard 
without first carefully examining it and satisfying himself abso- 
lutely that it does not carry a single specimen of this scale. 
4. Buy trees only from responsible nurserymen, best from your 
own state, and only when you feel quite certain that they sell plants 
not infested by this scale. 
5. Infested stock is most likely to come from eastern or southern 
states where the scale abounds. 
6. Avoid nurserymen that do not grow themselves the plants 
they sell. The scales that found their way into Minnesota were all 
bought outside the state, not from nurserymen but from dealers in 
nursery stock. 
7. Have quarantine regulations established by the state. 
As showing the existence of the San Jose scale in Minnesota 
the following letter from Mr. Thos. Miller, of Heron Lake, 
Minn,, was read by the secretary: 
Mr. Dewain Cook, HERON LAKE, MINN., Nov. 7th 1897. 
My DEAR SIR:—Your letter of the 6th inst. at hand. Itistrue that the ‘‘San 
José scale’? was found here in my orchard by Prof. Otto Lugger, State Entomol- 
ogist. I will relate how it came to be discovered as briefly as possible. 
In 1893 [entertained the idea that nearly allthe hardy fruits could be grownin 
Minnesota, especially apples and plums. My brother and I had about fifty acres 
that were suitable for fruit culture, and we proposed to plant it all with fruit, 
mostly apples and native plums. Before planting such a large tract, it was nec™ 
essary to experiment with the different varieties to see which were hardiest and 
thrifty. Since ’93 our orcharding has been mostly experimental, embracing some 
twenty six varieties of apples, eleven varieties of plums, seven varieties of pears’ 
seven varieties of cherries, with strawberries, blackberries. etc. We have 
planted trees from flve nurseries, your ownincluded. Last spring among others 
planted were six Wolf River appletrees. I planted them just asIhad done all 
my others. Two failed to make any start, another lingered along for a month 
and then died, leaving three. These were the first apples I ever failed to make 
grow the first year. Sometime during thesummerI had been reading some notes 
on the ‘‘San José scale,” and as Ihave had a taste for entomology since I was very 
young it proved interesting reading. About the first of August I was walking 
through the orchard looking out for aphis on the plumtrees. In my walk I pass_ 
ed the Wolf River apples, and on one I thought the bark looked funny just at the 
crotch. Iwentup to it and found it covered with grayish white spots about the 
size of a pin head orsmaller. By rubbing with the fingers the bark had a greasy 
feel, and the whitish spots rubbed off, leaving the bark its natural color. I saw 
it was a parasitic disease, and from whatI had read knew it was the dreaded 
San José scale. As soon as I was reasonably sure in my own mind it was the 
scale. I looked all my other trees over but could not locate any more. The two 
remaining Wolf River apples that camein the same shipment, I examined care- 
fully but could find no scale. Theinfested treeI kept watch on daily. Thescale 
increased until the bark seemed covered with a whitish mould, and on October 
1st I notified Prof S. B. Green and at his request sent some twigs for inspection, 
which Prof. Otto Lugger pronounced ‘‘San José scale.’ On October 23th, Prof, 
Lugger visited the orchard, saw the infected tree and pronounced it the San José 
Scale, sure. The other trees were examined, but no more were found. These are 
the facts in the case. 
I was not aware a petition went from here to the Jast legislature against the 
San José scale bill. Would like the name of the party who sent it. 
Yours truly, 
THOS. MILLER. 
