INSPECTION WORK IN RELATION TO HORTICULTURE 687 



would seem that no criticism could arise upon our attempting to 

 eliminate the very iirst outbreak. The inspection of shipments 

 coming into this state indicate that the longer the law is enforced 

 the more satisfactory is the nursery stock received, on account of 

 the remarkable freedom from insects and diseases. 



FOREIGN SHIPMENT INSPECTION 



Closely related to the shipment inspection above indicated, the 

 examination of about four thousand shipments of foreign nursery 

 stock annually has led to the same general satisfactory results as 

 indicated in the movement of nursery stock from other states into 

 this. The brown-tail moth, though found in shipments from 

 France during two years, has not become established in the state 

 through shipments of nursery stock. A small outbreak of brown- 

 tail moths on the extreme eastern end of Long Island was un- 

 doubtedly caused by being wind-spread from states north of the 

 Sound. 



We occasionally find egg masses of the gipsy moth on azaleas 

 coming from Belgium and other foreign countries. The gipsy 

 and brown-tail moths are two particular insects requiring atten- 

 tion, though there are several others which are occasionally found, 

 and, when, new to the state, special efforts are made, to prevent their 

 becoming established. Notable among the insects is a new pine- 

 shoot moth, which destroys the terminal growth and would be 

 very injurious to the development of trees for forestry planting. 

 This insect is known at only seven points in the state, and annual 

 inspections are made to see that it does not spread. 



SCOUTING INSPECTION 



The permanent phase of the work under this heading is the 

 attention given, during the winter and other seasons when nurs- 

 ery shipment inspections are not urgent, to canvassing with 

 great care the sections of the state where a possibility exists of 

 infestation of gypsy moth especially along the New England 

 borders of the state to locate if possible any hidden outbreak 

 of gypsy or brown-tail moth. It is hoped that by diligence the 

 introduction of the gipsy moth may be prevented for many years 

 to come, owing to the comparatively slow habit of spread of this 

 particularly destructive insect. 



