No. 4.] STATE NURSERY INSPECTOR. 211 



number of such letters as this, and of a study of the con- 

 ditions many of our nurseries are meeting, tlie inspector is 

 convinced tliat the time has come wlien something must be 

 done to give protection to tliose persons whose income in a 

 measure is dependent upon the life of tlieir orcliards ; and 

 one such case recently brought to his attention may be cited 

 as showing how important such protection is. In this case 

 four-fiftlis of the entire income of a family has been received 

 from the sale of fruit grown on the place. There are now 

 no men of the family living, and the entire care of the estate 

 rests upon the shoulders of two ladies, whose income has 

 been but little more than was al)Solutely necessary for their 

 suj^port. To-day their trees are all more or less infested, 

 and the fruit produced has begun to deteriorate in quality 

 and quantity, thus reducing its value and their income. 

 They could spray probably as often as would ])e necessary 

 to control this scale in their own orchards, but on two sides 

 are the orchards of neighbors whose trees are badly infested, 

 and who are making no efforts to keep the scale in check. 

 The consequence of this is, that spraying would have to be 

 done every year ; and, as in the locality where this orchard is 

 help is hard to get and wages are high, it practically would 

 take away almost all of the profit heretofore received from 

 the fruit sold. Yet under our present laws these people have 

 no protection Avhatever, and are now expecting to sell their 

 j)lace for any price they may be able to get. 



It seems very desiral)le that some oiEcer or board of the 

 State should be given full authority to determine Avhen an 

 •insect becomes dangerous to pul)lic welfare, and in such 

 cases to declare it a pul)lic nuisance, to be al)ated in accord- 

 ance with legal methods, — although this would hardly be 

 advisable to carry into effect in all cases. Those persons, 

 however, who feel the importance and necessity of protect- 

 ing their orchards and niu*series from infestation by dangerous 

 pests present in the immediate vicinity should ])e permitted 

 to apply to some authority who would examine the condi- 

 tions, hold hearings and decide whether a nuisance exists, 

 and, if so, give directions for the abatement of this nuisance 

 by the owner. This would necessarily need to l)e accompa- 



