LEGISLATION. 13 
the Virginia legislature will soon have a bill before it on this subject 
After a careful survey of the possibilities, and judging from the history 
of similar legislation in the past, we are forced to admit that in spite of 
the considerable good they may accomplish such laws in general are apt 
to be of secondary importance, since they must depend for their enforce- 
ment almost entirely upon the interest taken by the community as a 
whole. Without a strong public sentiment back of them they will nec- 
essarily fail. Where the danger is strongly felt, however, and the great 
majority of the people are urgently in favor of taking ail possible >teps 
to secure protection, the existence of an adequate law will be an invalu- 
able means of compelling action on the part of indifferent nurserymen 
or fruit growers, who otherwise would remain a continual menace to 
their neighborhoods and the country at large. 
In answer to an anticipated demand for information on the subject 
of legislation against injurious insects a special bulletin 1 was published 
by the Department, giving a compilation of all recent legislation in 
the several States of the Union against injurious insects, and this bul- 
letin will be of considerable assistance to any agricultural or horticul- 
tural societies which may be desirous of securing legislation of this 
nature on the part of their respective States. 
As suggestive of what may be done in the matter of legislation the 
only law known to us which is specifically aimed at the San Jose scale 
is here given. It is a law drafted by Dr. Lintner and presented before 
the New York legislature at its session of 1894-95. Its passage, as we 
have elsewhere stated, will not be urged during the present session. 
NEW YORK. 
AX ACT to provide for the extermination vi' the San Jose scale in the State of New Vork. 
The people of the Slate of New York, represented in senate and assembly, do enaet as 
follows: 
Section 1. Whenever the State entomologist may have knowledge of the exist- 
ence of the San Jose scale, or has reason to believe in the probability of its 
existence in any locality within the State of New York on any trees, plants, vines. 
or fruit, he shall notify the commissioner of agriculture, who shall thereupon 
appoint one or more experts who shall be sufficiently familiar with the scale to be 
able to recognize it, for the prompt inspection of the infested or suspected locality. 
Sec. 2. Such agent shall make thorough inspection of the locality named, and if 
the existence of the scale is found therein he shall notify tin- owner or owner- of 
the orchard, nursery, or grounds in which the insect is found of its existence 
therein, and serve a notice containing a statement of all the facts found to exist 
opon the owner or owners, with an order that within ten days they shall take such 
measures as have been proven to be effectual in the destruction of the scale and for 
prevention of its further distribution, and to continue them until its extermination 
has been effected. 
. 3. If the owner or owners shall refuse to comply with the order of the agent, 
as above stated, the agent shall be charged with its execution, and for this purpose 
'Bull. 33, U. S. Dept. Agr., Div. Ent. Legislation against Injurious Insects: a 
Compilation of the Laws and Regulations in the United States and British Columbia. 
By L. 0. Howard. 
