314 GARDEN FOES. 



CHAPTER V. 



BOARD OF AGRICULTURE ORDERS. 



This volume would bo incom])lete without some reference 

 to the important work which the Board of Agriculture 

 and Fisheries is now doing in the matter of safeguarding 

 our crops from injury by certain pests, some of which 

 are, unfortunately, present in this country, and others 

 which are rampant abroad and might possibly be imported 

 here. This is a step in the right direction. It is a pity 

 the Board did not bestir itself earlier, and so have pre- 

 vented diseases like the Black Scab, for example, spread- 

 ing so widely in this country, to the detriment of our 

 potato crops. However, having shown itself sincerely 

 desirous of stamping out the above disease and the Ame- 

 rican Gooseberry Mildew, we may look forward to its 

 taking every precaution to prevent the importation of the 

 dreaded San Jose Scale, Phylloxera, and other pests 

 which have proved so destructive abroad. 



The Board, imder the provisions of the Destructive 

 Insects and Pests Acts, 1877 and 1907, now have the 

 power to schedule certain pests already with us and 

 others that have not yet appeared, but which might do 

 if proper precautions were not adopted to prevent their 

 importation, and make special orders with reference to 

 them as occasion requires. 



The latest Order is dated 1910, and this contains pro- 

 visions for the reporting, under a penalty of £10, of the 

 appearance in any district of the presence of the Ameri- 

 can Gooseberry Mildew, the Black Scab, or Wart Disease 

 of Potatoes; Narcissus Fly, Brown-tailed Moth Cater- 

 pillars, and the Large Larch Sawfly, pests which have 

 done a considerable amount of mischief to crops in this 

 country. 



