60 Vict. Proyincul Board of Horticulture. 



PREVENTION OF INSECT PESTS AND DISEASES. 



The following pages have been prepared by direction of the Hon. the Minister of 



Agriculture for the use of, and distribution among, farmers and fruit-growers of British 



Columbia. The remedies and suggestions contained therein, which have 



"fi'ern arks'"'' ^^^'^ compiled under the careful supervision of- the Provincial Board of 



Horticulture, are recommended to their careful consideration and for 



adoption. If generally acted upon they will, it is confidently asserted, prove to be effective, 



not only in preventing the spread of the insect pests and plant diseases which have made 



such inroads on the gardens and orchards of the Province, but in a large measure obtaining 



immunity. A condition precedent is that eternal vigilance must be exercised, and the 



success of whatever precautions may be adopted is dependent upon the thoroughness with 



which they are observed. The recommenSations which are contained in these pages are the 



result of careful study of all the conditions, and are confirmed by experience. 



The rapid spreacj of numerous destructive pests and hurtful plant diseases, following 

 upon increased cultivation and the importations of fruits and nursery stock, has been seriously 

 felt throughout the agricultural districts, and points to the necessity of a vigorous and rigid 

 enforcement of the rules and regulations of the Department and the adoption of practical 

 measures of suppression, in order that the promising agricultural resources of British Columbia 

 may be permitted to develop. 



Mr. R. M. Palmer, Inspector of Fruit Pests, in his report to the Hon. the Minister of 

 Agriculture for the year ending December 31st, 1896, speaking with reference to his work in 

 visiting and inspecting orchards in the different sections of the Province, says :• — • 



" The necessity of this work has been emphasized ,by the discovery of the most dangerous 



scale insect enemy of fruit trees known — the San Jose Scale (Aspidiolus Perniciosus) — in two 



orchards on Vancouver Island, and although, so far as known, this pest has 



The San Jose jjq^ spread, it is- hardly possible that the infestation is limited to these cases. 



I propose during the coming season to give special -attention to the district 



in which the infested trees were found. 



" It has cost the fruit-growers of California and Oregon hundreds of thousands of dollars 

 to fight the San Jose Scale, and the wab against it still continues. Now it is known that this 

 pest will live under the conditions obtained in British Columbia (which has been considered 

 doubtful by some persons), there is no doubt that the most stringent' measures should be 

 adopted in dealing with it when found. TlTs appearance of San Jose Scale in orchards and 

 gardens in Ontario, and some of the Eastern and Southern States, has created wide-spread 

 consternation amongst fruit-growers there, and a demand for Legislative assistance from the 

 respective governments in dealing with the pest, similar to that enacted in the Pacific Coast 

 States and British Columbia, has sprung up. 



" In many parts of the lower mainland, and to a less extent on the islands, much injury 

 has been done to the apple crop by a pest which has been named the Apple-Fruit-Miner. It 

 is a small larva or " worm " which feeds upon the pulp of the fruit. To a slight extent, it had 

 been noticed in previous seasons, but the past year it has been so plentiful as to destroy or 

 render of no value a large percejitage of'the apple crop in some localities. 



" In regard to the spraying of orchards, although good work has been done by many 

 persons, and most encouraging reports are constantly being received of the good effects- conse- 

 quent on spraying, still there is much room for improvement. Many owners 

 ImDortance of ^j orchards and'gardens containing fruit trees are careless or indifferent; this 

 is especially the case with old orchards in or near the cities. Most of these 

 old orchards would better be destroyed altogether, as many of the treesj from various causes, 

 such as neglect or being of poor or unsuitable varieties, are of no value to their owners, besides 

 being infested with various insect pests and diseases, for which they serve as breeding places, 

 and are a constant menace to the progressive fruit-growers. Those who spray and take care 

 of their trees are demanding that more vigorous measures be taken to enforce the cleansing of 

 these old, infected trees. Another year's experience with the iSo. 1 spraying mixture (lime, 



