18 THE REPORT OF THE [19 



dangerous, namely, the suspending of the San Jose Scale Act, because a few people who 

 lose a few dollars are making trouble about it ? All I can say is that they will repent at 

 their leisure. On page five of my evidence before the last Agricultural Committee at 

 Ottawa, last spring, I spoke rather fully of this matter and I shall be glad to send a 

 copy to anyone who wishes for one. I believe the time has not yet come when we can 

 trust the fruit-growers to treat their trees with sufficient care for an insect like this and 

 protect Ontario from a very great ill. Now, it is a very great ill. Mr. Fisher who is a 

 most accurate, careful man and the one man in Ontario who has had the best chance to 

 see exactly what the effect of this insect is upon orchards, tells us that since the Govern- 

 ment relaxed its efforts the insect has decidedly increased. 



Is the insect only to be compared with oyster-shell bark-louse ? Numerous writers 

 have written and said that it is and is only an ordinary insect. This I say emphatically 

 is nonsense and dangerous nonesense at that. I should like to see an expression from this 

 Society, as a Society, commending most heartily and thoroughly every step that Mr. 

 Dryden has taken in this matter of the San Jose Scale. I did not agree with him at first, 

 but looking back over the history of the infestation during the past three seasons and it 

 is only three seasons, I say I do back up, most strongly and thoroughly, every step he 

 has taken. He has been wise from the beginning, and I say this with all the light of the 

 experience I have had, which is a great deal. I think the operations of his department 

 are to be commended at every step, and to day I hope that public opinion will back him 

 up and that instead of relaxing the efforts of the department that he will continue to do 

 good for the country as he has in the past. 



Mr. Dryden would have been here to day if possible. He has sent us assurances 

 that he could not come here on account of important business. I know personally that 

 he had intended to be here. He has been worried and had great anxiety over this matter 

 because he wants to do what is wise for the country and that is the only thing that has 

 guided him in carrying out measures to protect Ontario fruit-growers, who as a whole 

 have misunderstood him. He has taken steps to destroy all infested trees. He has 

 appointed efficient inspectors, and I lay great stress on that title of efficient inspectors, 

 for I believe they are efficient. I have been in consultation with them through the whole 

 of the work and I do not remember a single serious mistake that has been made by them. 

 Prof. Lochhead is in the same position. Prof. Webster has been consulted and I say that 

 the work has been most remarkably accurate for it was a work of very great difficulty and 

 I maintain that the title of efficient inspectors should be applied to our inspectors. Not- 

 withstanding what was said by some before the commission, the work has been good 

 and of enormous importance to this country ; I say it is of enormous importance because 

 directly the efforts to control it stopped the enemy has increased and it is now much 

 more difficult to overtake it ; however, I believe it is not impossible to eradicate it even 

 now. I cannot see that it is impossible to eradicate an insect that is once placed under 

 control. When you have got a thing under control it means that you can do what you 

 like with it. When we know that the insect is practically restricted to three small areas 

 in Ontario, I say it would be a thousand pities if the country does not back up the 

 Minister in wiping it out altogether. Some of 'the owners of infested trees who hid that 

 fact and are now complaining that the compensation is not enough, are themselves respon- 

 sible for the failure to eradicate the scale. Some of the destroyed trees have been paid 

 for to the extent of one quarter of their value. Let them congratulate themselves on 

 having received any compensation from the Government. What takes place when we 

 are visited by an epidemic disease 1 Does the Government come forward and say : You 

 have lost three children we will therefore give you three hundred dollars ? Not a bit of 

 it. I say the fruit growers have largely themselves to thank for the danger they are 

 in, they have bought from infested districts after they have known well that there was 

 great danger. 



Before the San Jose Scale was in this country a warning was sent out saying there 

 was an injurious insect that we were liable to suffer from. " Don't get poor stock, or 

 don't get it from infested localities." But when we give an object lesson the fruit-growers 

 won't even take the trouble to walk across the road to see it. As to the treatment being 



