86 
FLORIDA STATE HORTICULTURAL SOCIETY 
less serious nature, that it could be classed 
with other pests and diseases such as seal) 
red spider, melanose, etc., and could be as 
easily controlled as they are, but even 
those diseases are not easily controlled. 
The possibility of controlling this dis¬ 
ease by the introduction of chemicals or 
immunizing substances directly into the 
tree has long been a fascinating ideal, and 
while the basal idea may be sound, the 
method has been discredited by the num¬ 
ber of “fake” remedies supposed to be ap¬ 
plied in this way. But why look for a 
remedy of that kind, when we do not ex¬ 
pect to need it, when eradication is pos¬ 
sible. If canker is not eradicated, then 
there will be plenty of time to try control 
measures. 
A large number of experiments have 
been carried on by the growers, state de¬ 
partment officials and others. There has 
been for several months, and is now, a 
plant pathologist stationed in the canker- 
infected territory, carrying on experi¬ 
ments, and from this work some very val¬ 
uable scientific results may be expected, 
whether his findings become of practical 
importance or not. 
The one thing we do now know is that 
fire is the only sure" cure, and those who 
have tried out other remedies have in the 
end given up and have burned their dis¬ 
eased trees. With this knowledge at hand 
we have put forth every effort to keep up 
with and destroy every cankered tree as 
fast as it was found. We considered this 
the only way to retard its spread, but to 
do this many obstacles have had to be met 
and overcome. While almost all of the 
growers have co-operated with us, there 
have been some few who objected to this 
method of treatment, and we have been 
put to all manner of inconveniences from 
those who did object. We have been reg¬ 
ularly refused admittance into certain 
groves, some have permitted inspection 
but have refused to have the diseased 
trees burned, and in one or two instances 
some of us have been arrested for tres¬ 
passing, at which time “public opinion” 
and not law saved the day. 
As so much has already been said about 
the technical, practical, historical, and fi¬ 
nancial side of citrus canker, you will 
probably be more interested in knowing 
what has been done and is being done in 
this canker fight in Dade county, where 
the prevalence of the disease is more to 
be noted than anywhere else, and where 
we are making the great effort toward 
eradication. 
The actual work in the field is carried 
on by inspectors employed by the local 
growers’ organization and the Florida 
Growers and Shippers League, a commit¬ 
tee of three having full executive power. 
This committee outlines the plans for the 
work of inspection and eradication. In 
Dade county there are now one hundred 
and twelve men employed upon the work 
of inspection and eradication, half of 
which are employed in the southern or 
Redland section, and half in the northern 
or Miami section. An inspector-foreman 
is in charge of each of these bodies. The 
foremen lay out the territory to' be in¬ 
spected by each squad and see to the nec¬ 
essary details. The whole force of men 
employed upon the citrus canker work, 
dressed in their inspection suits and 
equipped with burning outfits, etc., going 
to work each morning, may be likened to 
