8 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN. 
AN INSPECTOR REPORTS. 
AROUSED A POET. 
Wesley Webb’s Statement to the Governor of Delaware — Exam¬ 
ined Suspected Stock with Magnifying Glass—The Axe, Fire 
and Kerosene Employed In Orchards—No Indications 
of the Scale in the Nurseries of the State. 
Wesley Webb, inspector for the state of Delaware, makes 
the following report to the governor regarding his work for 
1898 : 
I have found it necessary to devote nearly all my time to this work 
during the past season. The infested orchards have been visited as 
occasion demanded, some of them repeatedly. A minute and painstaking 
examination with a glass was made of suspected trees and shrubs ; and 
in order to encourage prompt and effective action by the o/wners of 
the trees my services in applying remedies were freely given. The 
treatment advised depended upon the conditions to be met. When 
only a few trees were involved, while large interests were at stake ) 
destruction by axe and fire was unhesitatingly advised and in most such 
cases was applied, with the most satisfactory results. Where a large 
number of trees were already infested, and no large number of addi. 
tional trees were endangered, treatment with kerosene was recom. 
mended. The results of this treatment have been satisfactory in nearly 
all cases, and very little or no injury to the trees has come from the 
application of this very efficient insecticide. It is not a safe remedy to 
apply to peach and plum trees, but apples and pears may be treated 
safely at any season of the year, precaution being taken to use it in a 
fine spray in sufficient quantity only to wet the surface of the tree, and 
only on a sunny day. 
Inspection of the nurseries of the state has shown them to be without 
any indications of the presence of the scale. 
Since the introduction of this scale into Delaware thirty-eight 
orchards and gardens have been found to be infested with it. Six new 
cases have been brought to light within the last year. Twelve of these 
thirty-eight places are now probably free, as no scales have been found 
on them in 1898 ; fifteen others are so nearly free that it would be diffi¬ 
cult if not impossible to find any scales now. There remain eleven 
cases of varying degrees of infestation, some of them having been only 
recently put under treatment. 
It thus appears that there is reason to believe that the San Jose Scale 
can be eradicated from the state in a few years by vigilant and prompt 
action. 
Respectfully submitted, 
Dover, Del., January 2, 1899. Wesley Webb. 
CONTROLLING THE SCALE. 
In a bulletin on the San Jose scale just issued by the Cor¬ 
nell station. H. P. Gould says : 
Another season’s experience has again demonstrated that the San 
Jose scale can be as easily controlled as many of the insects with which 
the farmer and fruit-grower are more familiar. The potato-bug has 
been fought for twenty years, the codlin-moth has been given annuaj 
treatments of Paris green ever since the general spraying of orchards 
has been practiced, yet these insects reappear in abundance every year. 
They and their kindred, however, cause no alarm ; but if they were 
left unchecked in their ravages, the annual losses from them in this 
state would be almost inconceivable. 
It may not be possible, from a practical point of view, to extermin. 
ate the scale in an infested orchard without injury to the trees any 
more than it is possible to exterminate the potato-bug ; yet I am con¬ 
vinced that the same vigilant, persistent effort which controls the 
potato-bug, codlin moth and other insect pests will also control the 
San Jose scale. 
I do not wish to minimize the danger from this insect, for it is indeed 
serious under conditions favorable for its development, but there has 
been a tendency unduly to emphasize the seriousness of the pest. 
J. G. Patterson & Son, Stewartstown, Pa.. Jan. 14, 1899 ; “We 
mail (within) $2 for our advertisement in your invaluable paper. It 
brings the answer all O. K.” 
There has been a movement in Minresota to introduce a 
San Jose scale bill coupled with bond and license features 
similar to the one that came up two years ago. E. H. S. Dartt, 
of the girdling station at Owatonna, Minn., has evidently 
been thinking of the subject. This is the result : 
THE SAN JOSE SCALE. 
BY E. H. S. DARTT, OWATONNA, MINN. 
This little pest of modest mien, 
So small that it can scarce be seen, 
Has swept our land from sea to sea 
And ruined many a noble tree. 
But by far its greatest harm 
Has come to us through false alarm ; 
Bugman meet's it as a stranger, 
And to warn the seedy granger. 
He opens eyes as wide as owl’s 
And fills the land with horrid howls. 
He’s cunning, and he thinks he sees 
A chance to get some extra fees. 
And so he howls and howls again 
Until he’s fooled our wisest men, 
Who, in their fright invoke the law, 
And from the bugman’s wisdom draw. 
The law is founded on inspection 
And many scales escape detection, 
And these they join in grand cotillions 
For each scale left will make its millions. 
State after state has been invaded, 
And legislatures have been raided 
By bugmen and their constant friends, 
Who seek to forward selfish ends. 
In Minnesota’s frigid clime 
The scale can’t live an hour of time. 
And still they want a law made stout 
To keep the foreign rascals out, 
And if it kills tree competitibn 
’Twill better suit some men’s condition. 
Now while these persons keep on braying, 
Old farmer John he works at spraying, 
And it affords him great delight 
To know that scales can’t stand the fight. 
But he’s inclined to swear and cuss 
Because they’ve made this awful fuss. 
They’ve scared the Dutchman and Canuck 
Till they refuse to take our truck. 
If I could only have my way, 
I’d save the world in half a day ; 
I’d girdle every mother’s son 
Caught doing what these fools have done ; 
I’d clean the trees with whale oil soap 
And hang the rascals with a rope. 
Humbugs, bedbugs, fleas, lice and rats, 
Bugmen, Beermen, dogs, mice and cats 
I’d crowd upon some worthless ship 
And then I’d give it Hobson’s tip. 
BETTER THAN A CIRCULAR. 
One advantage of the newspaper over the circular as an advertising 
medium is that it not only prints your advertisement but attends to its 
distribution as well.—Printer’s Ink. 
