26 
were, "It will not do to depend too much on official investigation, 
however thorough." Professor Bailey, of Cornell University, stated it 
as his opinion that the certificate of a reputable entomologist, saying 
that he has examined the stock and has been unable to find San Jose 
scale, "is really worth a good deal to the purchaser. It does not 
guarantee the stock to be free by any means, but it establishes a 
very strong probability that it is free." In his opinion, however, 
an entomologist could not give a clean bill of health for all the trees of 
a nursery, for to make a sufficient examination to enable him to do so 
would cost more than the stock is worth. Mr. T. T. Lyon, a prominent 
horticulturist of Michigan, said that no certificates can be expected to 
amount to a guaranty against infestation. Nevertheless, he would con- 
sider a certified establishment more trustworthy, although the planter 
should carefully choose those in whose thorough carefulness and integ- 
rity he would have the greatest confidence. Mr. J. H. Hale, of Con- 
necticut, was of the opinion that a careful examination by an entomologist 
would result in a certificate of some little value, but that the average 
nursery inspection affords "no guarantee whatever that the trees are 
free from San Jose scale." "Keep up the inspection," he said, "but do 
not place too much confidence in certificates." Mr. J. H. Bancroft, a 
Delaware inspector, said that certificates are not of much real value to 
a purchaser. In his opinion a planter should, so far as possible, grow 
his own stock. Professor Webster, of Ohio, has a strong article on this 
subject in "Entomological News" for December, 1897, and he illustrates 
the difficulties of inspection by showing pictures of a twig on which a 
single young scale occurred which was completely hidden by the bud 
so that it could not be seen without picking off the bud. He adduces, 
further, the fact that new shoots coming up from old stumps are frequently 
covered with scales, as indicating that the insects may occur below 
ground, and thus futilize inspection. He thinks that entomologists 
should not be compelled to risk their reputations where the odds are 
so much against them. 
THE GERMAN EDICT. 
By virtue of an edict promulgated by the German Government the 
first week in February, 1898, certain American fruits were refused 
entrance at the port of Hamburg, and the American newspapers of 
about that date were filled with rumors and interviews concerning the 
probable reasons of Germany's act. It soon appeared that the San Jose 
scale was the particular insect against which the edict was directed, 
and for the information of American fruit growers the exact wording 
of the decree, closely translated into English by Mr. E. A. Schwarz, is 
given herewith : 
