32 



mouthed receptacle, and when all is ready the acid is poured into the 

 mixture and the doors closed for the time indicated Before remov- 

 ing the trees the chamber must be allowed to ventilate, since the gas is 

 fatal to human as well as insect life. 



A simple yet eftective fumigation house built by one of our nursery- 

 men consists of a double-boarded building, ten feet wide and thirty 

 feet long. In this building there is a chamber ten by twenty feet for 

 the fumigation of large quantities of stock or of tall trees, while two 

 smaller chambers, five by ten feet, afford means for fumigating shrubs 

 and small trees After the fumigation house has been erected, the labor 

 in handling the stock is the chief item of expense. Cyanide of potash 

 costs thirty-eight cents per pound in quantity, and sulphuric acid less 

 than two cents per pound. Professors Alwood of \'irginia and Johnson 

 of Marjdand have had extensive experience in fumigating nursery stock, 

 and both find that when properly conducted the fumigation treatment is 

 an exterminative measure. From the testimony ot many experts it is 

 evident that in fumigation we have the best-known means ot insuring 

 the freedom of nursery stock from the scale. 



The Nukserv Question. 



Ot 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 pro- 

 tect people from purchasing infested stock by definitely stating what 

 nurseries are or have been infested with the San .lose 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 increased 

 by publicit}', so long as they are properly discharging 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 in- 

 fested 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 maintain a high standard for 

 his stock, and grows and sells only first-class trees. The other may dis- 

 regard 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 eradicate it. 

 Those of the other class throw their infested stock upon the market, 

 with the result that hundreds of innocent purchasers are victimized, and 

 the pest becomes established in hundreds of new localities To the 

 credit of this State let it be said that the Massachusetts nurserymen 

 who have been called upon to combat the scale as a rule have shown 

 that they fully appreciate the importance of dealing with it promptly 

 and thoroughly. 



