FIFTEENTH ANNUAL REPORT OF THE STATE NURSERY 



INSPECTOR. 



To the State Board of Agriculture. 



I have the honor to present herewith the fifteenth annual 

 report of the State Nursery Inspector. 



Nursery Inspection. 



For several years the gypsy and brown-tail moths have been 

 present either in a number of nurseries in the State or so near 

 by as to make it possible that these pests could be on nursery 

 stock sent out on fall shipments. 



Inspection of the growing stock for other pests and diseases 

 before the fall shipping season was as practicable as ever, but 

 to make this inspection apply to the gypsy and brown-tail 

 moths was impracticable, as the gypsy moth cannot be safely 

 inspected for before the middle of September, and the brown-tail 

 tents cannot in all cases be found before the leaves have fallen, 

 which, with the late holding varieties of trees, is often not until 

 the end of November in this State. To delay all inspection as 

 late as this would mean that there would be no fall shipping 

 by the nurserymen concerned, and would be likely to drive them 

 out of business, and the situation was therefore serious. 



At that time the Federal government, recognizing the danger 

 of shipping these pests to other parts of the country, not only 

 on nursery stock but also on stone, lumber, Christmas trees and 

 other commodities, placed a quarantine on the entire infested 

 area, and to supervise the nursery stock placed Federal inspec- 

 tors at the nurseries. These inspectors examine all stock dug 

 for shipment after it has been brought to the packing shed, 

 plant by plant, and issue shipping tags for each package. 



This seemed to open a way in which ample protection could 

 be afforded purchasers of the stock. Accordingly, the usual 

 nspection for all pests and diseases except the gypsy and 



