231 E-JPERIMENTAL FARilS 



4-5 EDV/ARD VII., A. 1905 



middle of June. At that time most of the scale insects appeared to be dead, and, as T 

 had found in my experiments, that the males were more easily killed by treating with 

 various mixtures than the females, I hoped that the winter might have destroyed thd 

 males, and that there might be no breeding. The cold weather certainly reduced the 

 scale very much indeed, only a small proportion being alive, and these developed 

 slowly ; but I find that some have reached maturity, and at the pj'esen t time trees which 

 last fall had a lot of live scale upon them, have larvae in moderate quantity running 

 OE the twigs, some with new white cover scales just formed, and some which have 

 reached the drab-coloured state. From what I saw in this orchard, I take it that 

 breeding began about July 5 this year, or two weeks later than usual.' 



Although the San Jose Scale has not spread beyond its former limits, there is 

 still a heavy and destructive presence of this insect in the orchards within iJie infested 

 area. As misstatements with regard to this matter have frequently appe^Rrfcd in news- 

 papers and elsewhere, it may be well to again repeat that the only part of Canada where 

 the San Jose Scale is found is in the Niagara Peninsula and in the counties along 

 the north shore of the western end of Lake Erie. Every care is being exercised by the 

 Honourable the Minister of Agriculture to prevent any fresh importation from out- 

 side countries. The fumigation stations at Vancouver, B.C., Winnipeg, Man., Windsor 

 and Niagara Falls, Ont., St. John's, Que., and St. John, N.B., are kept open in charge 

 of competent men, who unpack, fumigate with hydrocyanic acid gas, and promptly 

 repack and send on, all nursery stock which comes into the country. The fumigation 

 with hydrocyaic acid gas, of the strength and for the time the trees are submitted 

 to it in the government stations, is perfectly certain to kill every scale insect upon 

 them. 



A rigorous watch has been kept on every kind of nursery stock which could pos- 

 sibly bring in fresh importations of the San Jose Scale; and I have again this year 

 the greatest satisfaction in reporting that no single instance has been brought to my 

 notice of living scales having been detected on trees which had passed through th« 

 fumigating houses. The superintendents at all of the stations have done their work 

 carefully and well, and no well-founded complaints have been received from importers, 

 either as to the slight delay which must occur while the stock is being treated, or aa 

 to any injury to the trees during the necessary unpacking, handling and repacking. 

 Careful experiments have shown that the formula used at our federal fumigation sta- 

 tions is thoroughly effective in killing the San Jose Scale, and does not in any way 

 injure the stock submitted to the gas. The formula used is one ounce of cyanide of 

 potassium (08 per cent"), one ounce of commercial sulphuric acid (66° Baume), and 

 three ounces of water— exposure, 45 minutes. 



In addition to the above, the provincial government of Ontario have strictly en- 

 forced an Act compelling nurserymen to fumigate every shrub and tree sent out by 

 them from their nurseries, whether the San Jose Scale had been found in their nur- 

 series or not. These firms have, wisely, acted well up to the letter of the law, and, while 

 complying with the provisions of the Act, by sending out only first-class stock, have 

 sustained their business reputation in the best way possible. 



The federal fumigation houses are kept open, with a superintendent constantly 

 in attendance throughout the seasons of spring and autumn shipments of stock. The 

 fumigation seasons for the various stations are as follows : — 



Vancouver, B.C. — October 15 till May 1. 



Winnipeg, Man. — March 15 till May 15, and October 7 till December 7. 

 Windsor, Ont.— March 15 till May 15, and September 26 till December 7. 

 Niagara Falls, Ont. — March 15 till May 15, and September 26 till December 7. 

 St. John's, Que. — March 15 till May 15, and September 26 till December /. 

 St. John, N.B.— March 15 till May 15, and October 7 till December 7.. 



The San Jose Scale Act and the amendments which have from time to time been 

 xoade, are the result of an effort on the part of the Honourable the Minister of Agri- 



