The priinar3/ responsibility of the Plant Pest Control Division 

 is to prevent the introduction and possible spread of damaging 

 insects and plant organisms throughout the Commonv/ealth. Kany 

 insects and diseases if allo^'ed free rein could result in 

 serious losses to agricultural and ornamental crops plus the 

 added 'oes of daniage and nuisances to the property ov-ner. 



In order to feel the pulse, so to speak, of the current 

 agricultural insect and plant disease situation, the Division 

 maintains nunerous interrelated pest control prograr.s. . 

 NURSERY INSPZCTICri 



The inspection of nursery stock is one of these programs. 

 Nursery stock inspection involves the inspection of plant 

 stock in all of the nurseries in the Commonv;ealth engaged in 

 the growing and selling of nursery stock. The purpose of the 

 inspection is to certify that the plants are apparently free 

 from injurious insects and plant diseases. This further assures 

 the buying public of clean healthy stock, and also helps in 

 preventing the further dissemination of injurious plant pests. 

 There are about 500 nurseries inspected each year and this 

 represents about 2500 acres of growing stock. Special licenses 

 to sell nursery stock in Kassachusetts are issued to persons 

 other than growers. Applicants nust furnish the Division with 

 a list of firms which they represent, or from whom they intend 

 to purchase stock for resale. The purpose for this is to be 

 certain that the stock offered for sale is from a certified 

 nursery. Approximately 300 agents were so licensed in 1970, 



