No. 4.] INSECTS AND BIRDS. 183 



where it prevails ; but its nests are so easily seen on the trees 

 in the winter months that it is not an especially difficult 

 operation to suppress the insect to such a degree that it will 

 do comparatively little damage. As a leaf -eating insect it is 

 not a pest of the first magnitude, and is only noteworthy be- 

 cause of its very disagreeable nettling or poisoning of the 

 skin. The various cities and towns carry on very effective 

 work against this insect under the law of 1905, and it seems 

 likely to form a yearly tax upon real estate owners for many 

 years to come. There are indications that it is already be- 

 coming susceptible to parasites and fungous diseases, and it is 

 possible that these enemies may do much to reduce it in a com- 

 paratively short time. It is certainly much less tenacious 

 than the gypsy moth in these respects, and for that reason 

 is less of a menace as a permanent insect pest. 



Of the other insects, the only one worthy of especial men- 

 tion is the San Jose scale, another imported insect enemy, 

 which is really a serious menace to our orchards and nurs- 

 eries. Its extremely small size, its marvellously rapid in- 

 crease, its covering scale, which makes destruction by contact 

 so difficult, and its variety of food plants, make it a most 

 dangerous foe. Living upon both bark and fruit, it greatly 

 reduces the value of the latter where prevalent, as well as 

 eventually destroying the tree if allowed to go unchecked. 

 The only method of destroying it is by spraying with solu- 

 tions coming in contact with the insect itself as it feeds by 

 sucking the sap from the trees, and solutions strong enough 

 to pierce its scale covering can only be applied during the 

 winter months. The Board of Agriculture has issued an ex- 

 cellent leaflet upon this insect, which is available for free 

 distribution wherever desired. This describes the insect and 

 gives the best methods for destroying it, in considerable 

 detail. 



The law in relation to this insect was materially amended 

 by the last Legislature, giving the State Nursery Inspector, 

 elected by this Board, greatly increased authority, and mak- 

 ing it possible for the scale to be cleaned out of private lands 

 where the owner refuses to attend to it because of indif- 

 ference. That much good can be accomplished by a rigid 



