72 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



tificates early. The larger nurseries in the eastern part of 

 the State, however, are more difficult problems on account of 

 the prevalence of the gypsy moth. As the shipping season 

 starts just about the time that the gypsies are through laying, 

 it is almost impossible, certainly impracticable, for the nursery- 

 n:ien to clean their stock until the fall orders are filled. To 

 meet this situation the Department must have a sufficient 

 number of inspectors available to examine all shipments made 

 from nurseries not holding their certificates. This condition 

 has been met without serious inconvenience to the nurserymen. 

 Frequently when the nurseries are not too far distant, one in- 

 spector can readily care for two or three satisfactorily. Natu- 

 rally, an inspection in the packing shed as is made under 

 these circumstances is more efficient and thorough than can be 

 made in the field, and if it were financially practicable it would 

 be an ideal way to carry out the inspection at all the nurseries. 

 It would assist the nurserymen and perhaps bring out an in- 

 festation unobserved in the field. An occasional brown-tail 

 nest w^as found in some of the nurseries near the New Hamp- 

 shire line, but these were easily taken care of. 



A gypsy moth infestation was discovered last summer in 

 New Jersey, an investigation of which has already shown 

 that the infested area is over 100 square miles. In past years 

 certain outbreaks of this pest have been traced to nursery stock 

 originating in Massachusetts, but in this instance the infested 

 stock is supposed to have been imported from Holland several 

 years ago. 



The time devoted to the inspection of foreign shipments 

 until quarantine No. 37 became effective has been used to 

 good advantage examining shipments of nursery stock from 

 other States. In most cases these shipments have been in 

 good condition, but a few, including one carload of fruit stock, 

 have not been up to the Massachusetts standard and were in 

 consequence returned or destroyed. 



There has been an unusually large number of shipments of 

 stock from private parties, especially from some of the larger 

 estates, where choice and rare specimens of plants are sent 

 from one estate to another. All such shipments are required 

 by law to be inspected. These are a constant source of danger. 



