308 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



The Nursery Question. 



Of all problems connected with the occurrence of the San 

 Jose scale in Massachusetts, the nursery question is the most 

 difficult. The public in general and farmers in particular 

 feel themselves entitled to the knowledge in the possession 

 of official entomologists concerning the condition of various 

 Massachusetts nurseries. They argue, and with much force, 

 that as servants of the public these experts should protect 

 people from purchasing infested stock by definitely stating 

 what nurseries are or have been infested with the San Jose 

 scale. On the other hand, it would appear only just to 

 respect certain rights of the nurserymen. No nurseryman 

 has purposely infested his nursery with the scale. It is in 

 every instance an accident, a calamity. This being the case, 

 nurserymen feel that their misfortunes should not be in- 

 creased by publicity, so long as they are properly discharg- 

 ing their obligations to the public. In fact, some of our 

 nurserymen contend, judging from the experience of their 

 fellows in other States, that the announcement that their 

 nurseries had been infested with the scale might ultimately 

 ruin their entire business. 



Desiring to deal fairly with the farmer and nurseryman 

 alike, the writer has come to the conclusion that no public 

 good will result from the specific mention of the occurrences 

 of the scale in the State, except in cases where there has 

 been either an obvious attempt to defraud the public or gross 

 negligence exhibited in producing and sending out infested 

 stock. In cases of the latter class, it would seem to be 

 plainly the entomologist's duty to aid so far as possible in 

 checking the spread of this most pernicious pest. 



Nurserymen may be separated into two classes, — the 

 reputable and the disreputable. The one endeavors to main- 

 tain a high standard for his stock, and grows and sells only 

 first-class trees. The other may disregard all obligations of 

 common honesty, and sell stock, regardless of its condition, 

 to all who will buy. Reputable nurserymen, finding their 

 places infested with the scale, endeavor in all ways to eradi- 

 cate it. Those of the other class throw their infested stock 

 upon the market, with the result that hundreds of innocent 



