2 
NURSERY INSPECTION 
should have charge of the inspection for White Pine Blister Rust 
(and its eradication) in nurseries, parks, cemeteries, and private 
plantings. At Dean Woods’ suggestion it was hnally decided that 
Dr. E. M. Freeman, Plant Pathologist of the Experiment Station 
should have complete charge of the survey for and eradication of 
the disease in the timber and elsewhere along the St. Croix (includ- 
ing nurseries located in that region), and that the State Entomolo- 
gist should assume responsibility of similar work in nurseries, 
parks, cemeteries and private plantings over the state, outside of 
the St. Croix Valley, as above outlined. 
Two bills were prepared for presentation to the Legislature, 
one (later known as House File 513, Senate File 387) cpvered this 
special emergency, the other (known as Senate File 315, House 
File 601), intended to amend our present inspection lav/, under 
which the State Entomologist works, worded to include not only 
present conditions, but also to stand as a future protection for the 
state if any new insect pest or plant disease threatens the Minne- 
sota Nursery industry or forests, or private or State plantings. 
In the meantime the Governor recommended to the Legisla- 
ture at the beginning of the session, that $25,000 be appropriated as 
an emergency fund for Use in an effort to eradicate White Pine 
Blister Rust. This recommendation on the part of the Chief Exec- 
utive is quite in line with similar progressive action on the part of 
officials in other states. Both of the above bills should pass. 
Senate File 315 has been amended to meet the approval of the 
nurserymen and the amended bill has been endorsed by representa- 
tives of the Minnesota Nurserymen’s Retail Association. The bill, 
as we go to press, has been read once in the Senate and the amend- 
ments passed, and it is now awaiting final action. It depends en- 
tirely upon the legislature whether Minnesota is to make a fight 
against the disease or goes on record as preferring to take no action. 
It is a noteworthy fact that Congress passed an appropriation bill for 
$300,000 to combat White Pine Blister Rust in the last days of its 
session closing in March, at a time when other matters of great 
importance to the nation were pending'. 
During the fall and winter there have been several meetings 
of National Associations, which are directly concerned with this 
menace, namely: The Meeting of the National Committee for the 
Suppression of White Pine Blister, held at Albany, N. Y., Novem- 
ber 20, 21, 1916; a meeting of the American Association of Horti- 
cultural Inspectors, of Entomologists, and an unofficial meeting of 
the Federal Horticultural Board, at New York City, December 26, 
