REPORT OF THE DIVISION OF PLANT PEST CONTROL. 



The work of the Division of Plant Pest Control during the 

 past year has been concerned chiefly with the (1) inspection 

 of nurseries and nursery stock, (2) white pine bhster rust, and 

 (3) European corn borer. 



The inspection of nurseries and nursery stock consumes ap- 

 proximately nine months of the year, during which time especial 

 attention is given to San Jose and oyster-shell scale, European 

 pine shoot moth and the white pine blister rust. There has 

 been a very marked decrease in the amount of San Jose scale 

 found in the nurseries during the last few years, and the 

 present season disclosed only a very small amount. This de- 

 crease is probably due in a large measure to the fact that the 

 nurserymen are more familiar with methods of control as well 

 as with natural enemies. Oyster-shell scale, however, was 

 found to be more prevalent, especially on some of the more 

 susceptible varieties of shrubs. In most cases the infested 

 stock was destroyed at the suggestion of the inspector with 

 the approval of the nurserymen. The inspection of the pines 

 both for blister rust and European pine shoot moth again 

 brought out the fact that careful inspections have practically 

 eliminated both from our nurseries. There is considerable 

 blister rust scattered throughout the entire State, so that it 

 would not be surprising or alarming if the rust were found 

 occasionally in a nursery. However, precautionary measures 

 are being taken each year and a careful inspection made of the 

 surroundings in order that the alternate host (Ribes) may be 

 destroyed wherever it appears to be dangerous. 



Because the nurseries in the western part of the State are 

 outside of the gypsy and brown-tail moth areas, we are able 

 to issue certificates to them early in the fall. The smaller 

 nurseries in the eastern part of the State where the stock is so 

 limited that it can be cleaned easily are also granted cer- 



