182 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



the San Jose scale is present, in or near at least 25 nurseries. 

 In some cases it is on orchard or other trees among which the 

 stock is planted ; in others it is on adjoining premises. So 

 long as it is not present on the nursery stock, however, the 

 inspectors have no power, except in an advisory capacity, 

 the law applying only to nursery stock itself. It is only fair 

 to state that most of the nurserymen concerned fully recog- 

 nize the seriousness of this condition, and do all in their 

 power to control the scale on their own premises by repeated 

 spraying, and in many cases they have removed all infested 

 trees. Across the fence, however, on the property of their 

 neighbors, the problem is more difficult and the results are 

 less satisfactory. As a consequence, such nurserymen pay an 

 annual tax by the fumigation or destruction of all infested 

 stock found by the inspector on his visit. 



In inspection work it is necessary to keep in mind that the 

 inspection is for two purposes : first, the protection of buyers 

 residing in Massachusetts ; and second, compliance with the 

 laws of other States into which nursery stock may be shipped 

 from here. As the laws of different States vary quite widely 

 this is sometimes difficult, and the Association of Horticul- 

 tural Inspectors has, for some time, been attempting to obtain 

 a national law applying to all imports into this country, and 

 also to interstate shipments. If successful, this should result 

 in greater uniformity, and also in a larger degree of protec- 

 tion, and such a law is much to be desired. Unfortunately 

 there seems to be no immediate prospect that it can be 

 secured. 



Another present difficulty which the inspector meets is that 

 he does not inspect or even know of *some of the stock sent 

 out under his certificate. He may inspect every plant present 

 in the nursery at the time of his visit, but when orders for 

 shipment are to be filled it is rarely the case that a nursery- 

 man has everything which may be ordered. He therefore 

 sends elsewhere (frequently outside the State) for what he 

 lacks, distributes this stock among his different shipments 

 and sends each of these out with a certificate intended to 

 cover only the stock he himself raised. It is true that the 

 purchased stock is accompanied by a certificate from the 



