P.D. 123 17 



Fish Promotion 



Tlie legislature passed a bill authorizing the dei)artment to carry on a program 

 for the promotion and development of the commercial fishing industry. 



This Department immediately took the opportunity of arranging an exhibit 

 showing fish products and some of the picturesque gear used by our fishing boats. 

 This display occupied a large space at a fair in Boston where many consumers 

 became interested in the articles shown. Fine cooperation was given by the fishing 

 industry' in furnishing material. 



Other work already started deals with information being given out to consumers, 

 by radio and pamphlets, about the different varieties of fish available by season, 

 and methods of preparing them for the table. 



REPORT OF THE DIVISION OF PLANT PEST CONTROL 



The Division of Plant Pest Control inspects stock growing in the nurseries of 

 the State and all similar stock brought in from other States and imported from other 

 countries. Clean plants and trees for fruit growing and landscape work are thus 

 assured. The control of pests that may be injurious to agricultural crops while 

 growing or in storage or in the manufactured form is facilitated thru advice and 

 assistance given by this division. The division is also responsible for the enforce- 

 ment of laws, regulations, and quarantines to prevent the spread of new and in- 

 jurious crop pests. Field surveys and investigations are made by the personnel of 

 the division for the purpose of controUing such pests as the Satin Moth; Oriental 

 Moth, Japanese Beetle; European Corn Borer; Scale Insects; White Pine Blister 

 Rust; Cedar Rust, etc. In the control of pests that have a national importance, 

 because of the danger of spread to other States, the division actively cooperates 

 with the Federal Government. 



Prior to 1900 there were very few nurseries in the State, and these were small. 

 At the present time, however, there are 339 which have been certified by this 

 division, totaling over 3,000 acres of growing stock. Most of these nurseries are 

 located in the more thickty populated eastern part of the State, but some large 

 nurseries are in the central and western sections of the Commonwealth. 



In addition to the certification of nurseries, the law requires that all persons 

 engaged in selling nursery stock must be licensed. During the last fiscal year, the 

 division issued licenses to 487 such agents. 



The division keeps in close touch with all of the nurseries, inspecting them 

 several times a year for different insects and plant diseases. This past season an 

 inspection of the growing stock showed it to be apparenth' free from injurious pests. 

 The property surrounding the nurseries was also given careful examination in order 

 to make sure that pests would not enter the nurseries from this source. This in- 

 spection showed that this property was also apparently clean. The sales of nursery 

 stock in Massachusetts amount to more than a million dollars a year, and while 

 it is difficult to place the value of our inspections in dollars and cents, it is absolutely 

 essential that stock sent out from the nurseries be absolutely clean; otherwise, it 

 would not thrive and there would also be danger of spreading pests which might 

 cause inconceivable damage. The nurseries must he kept up to the standards set 

 by other States, or the business which is now here would be lost. The development 

 of the nurseries also increases the value of land which might other\\ise be unpro- 

 ductive. In this way a large revenue is brought into the treasury of the local 

 communities. 



European Corn Borer 



The European Corn Borer which was first found in the vicinity of Bo.ston in 1917, 

 has gradually spread until at the present time most of New England is infested, as 

 well as New York and some of the western States. Its ravages were so serious in 

 Massachusetts ten 3'ears ago, that most of the market gardeners in the vicinity of 

 Boston were obliged to give up the practice of growing sweet corn for maket. The 

 experiments that the Federal Government have carried on, demonstrate that a 

 partial control can be obtained by plowing the corn fields before the cold weather 

 sets in. In addition to controlling the corn borer, this is a good farm practice. In 

 1923 the Legislature passed an act requiring that corn stubble be either plowed or 

 destroyed by December 1. This pest is still causing considerable damage, and if 



