No. 4.] NURSP:RY inspection. 291 



ncarl}^ all the stock was in wretched condition, and compli- 

 ance Avith the law Avould necessitate its destruction or thor- 

 ough fumigation. This stock, taken all together, however, 

 occupied less than six acres and was Avorth less than fifty 

 dollars, so badly was it damaged by the various pests 

 upon it. 



The alternative of fumigating infested stock rather than 

 destroying it, which is permitted by the law, has not gener- 

 ally been made use of. This is greatly to be regretted, 

 as fumigated stock is far safer than that which has been 

 inspected. In fact, fumigated stock has the best guarantee 

 knoAvn, as the inspector's eye may fail to find some tiny 

 pest somewhere, Avhich the fumigating gas would reach and 

 destroy. That experience in this matter will lead to a more 

 general fumigation of nursery stock, I hope and believe. 

 Indeed, some of the most progressive nurserymen in the 

 State hold certificates, but nevertheless fumigate all stock 

 they sell, both as an advertisement and as a guarantee to 

 their customers ; and it is much to be desired that more 

 Avould adopt this plan, 



> In the course of the work thus far it has often been im- 

 possible to learn whether a person mentioned as being in 

 the business grew nursery stock himself, or acted merely as 

 an agent, and personal visits were sometimes necessary to 

 determine this. Twenty-one such persons Avho proved to 

 be agents only Avere visited, and eleven others are now 

 being investigated with reference to this point. 



In a great many cases florists whose attention is chiefly 

 devoted to cut flowers, greenhouse plants or seeds keep a 

 little nursery stock as a side line. The late date at which 

 inspection began last fall made it impossible to seek out all 

 such cases ; but it will be entirely feasible to have the 

 necessary knoAvledge upon Avhich to act by the time inspec- 

 tions should begin another year. That this is desirable as 

 Avell as required by the law is indicated by the fact that 

 thus far the Avorst-infested stock has been found in the more 

 neglected nurseries ; and where nursery stock is carried 

 only as a side line, it is generally sure to be more or less 

 neglected. 



