No. 123.] REPORT OF COMMISSIONER. 33 



Several phases of the college work and that of the Depart- 

 ment present themselves for considecation and adjustment. 

 For several years there have been attempts made to bring about 

 some changes in the work of these two bodies. 



A general agreement was reached at one time relative to an 

 exchange of work, also as to the functions of the organization, 

 but nothing definite has resulted from this exchange of views. 

 It would seem that that time has now come when there should 

 be some definite action taken toward settling these questions, 

 and your commissioner would recommend that this matter be 

 taken up at an early opportunity. I specifically recommend 

 that the enforcement of the fertilizer and feed laws should be 

 transferred from the college to the Department. 



Nursery Inspection. 



The work of the Nursery Inspector this year has been con- 

 fined chiefly to the inspection of nurseries, white pine blister 

 rust and European corn borer. The nurseries were inspected 

 for all pests and plant diseases, and, considering the shortage 

 of labor which all nurserymen experienced, the conditions were 

 considered very satisfactory. It was especially gratifying to 

 note the decrease of, San Jose scale and white pine blister rust 

 in the nurseries. 



On account of government regulations there was a great 

 falling off of the importations of stock. This was especially 

 noticeable of European shipments; yet even with this limited 

 supply pests were intercepted, any one of which, if it had 

 become established, would undoubtedly have proved serious. 



The white pine blister rust was carried on along the lines 

 recommended by Dr. H. T. Fernald, who had charge of this 

 work last year. At that time eradication areas were established 

 in Petersham, Dana, Barre, Hanover, Halifax, Duxbury, Marsh- 

 field, Pembroke and Hanson, where all cultivated Ribes (cur- 

 rants and gooseberries) were destroyed. Mr. R. M. Marble has 

 had the supervision of the blister rust work this year. Our 

 policy has been to continue the work in the Hanover and Barre 

 areas, removing any cultivated bushes which were missed last 

 year, and at the same time destroying all wild Ribes. This 

 plan in operation made it necessary to cover practically every 



