i8 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN. 
this test that he can recognize it on first sight, and then be 
willing to take any measures necessary to hold it in check. 
Among the questions which have been repeatedly asked me by 
nurserymen regarding this insect are the following : “ Do you 
think that the San Jose scale can survive the winters of West¬ 
ern New York?” Also, “What precautions would you suggest 
to us to avoid danger of getting the scales in our nurseries ?” 
My only answer to the first question is that, judging from 
the history of certain other scale insects, we have no reason to 
doubt that the San Jose scale might in time become sufficiently 
acclimated to successfully resist our cold winters. This is 
already indicated by the fact that the San Jose scale has been 
found in three different places in Southern Michigan where the 
winters are fully as severe as here, with the exception perhaps 
of the severe cold winds which are equally common in Michi¬ 
gan only along the lake shores. 
As to the second question, certainly the most necessary pre¬ 
caution is constant watchfulness, both as to the condition of 
SAN JOSE SCALE ON PEAR. 
our trees and shrubs and also to such stock as may be received 
from other nurserymen. Dealers cannot be too careful about 
buying stock from infested districts, and should not receive it 
unless they have positive evidence that it is free from the 
scale. If, in addition to the precautions taken by the nursery¬ 
men, orchardists who are about to purchase young trees would 
insist that the trees be carefully inspected before shipment and 
then inspect them carefully when they arrive, this double pre¬ 
caution could not fail to be a decided check upon the spread 
of this pest. 
Another precautionary measure which might be resorted to 
with good results is the prohibiting the sale of infested fruit 
within the state. As early as July of 1894, we found pears 
infested with the San Jose scale for sale on fruit stands in New 
York, Brooklyn and Jamaica, L. I. In the first two instances, 
all of the infested fruit observed were Bartlett pears from Cali¬ 
fornia, while at Jamaica, not only infested pears from Califor¬ 
nia but also infested pears grown on the Island were found for 
sale in the market places. This together with the fact that in¬ 
fested fruit was sent around to the Long Island fairs not only 
that year and the year following, but this past year as well, 
indicates almost criminal carelessness on the part of those 
responsible. 
As to remedial measures, extensive experiments conducted 
by the Division of Entomology of the United States Depart¬ 
ment of Agriculture indicate that a solution of whale oil, soap 
and water, two pounds of soap being used to the gallon, will 
kill the scales. Experiments begun last year by F. A. Sirrine, 
the entomologist of the New York Experiment Station located 
at Jamaica, indicate that infested nursery stock may be suc¬ 
cessfully treated by being submitted for one hour to the fumes 
of hydrocyanic acid gas or by dipping in a solution of whale 
oil soap at the strength above indicated. However, such 
treatment as this is not always satisfactory as one or two fertile 
female insects might easily escape, and these would be suffi¬ 
cient to infest a whole orchard in time. 
Western New York nurserymen are to be congratulated upon 
the care which they have thus far exercised with regard to 
keeping this serious insect pest out of their nurseries, and it is 
to be hoped that the near future will find every dealer in 
nursery trees in this state sufficiently familiar with the insect 
to recognize it at once and also be willing to make any effort 
to stamp it out. It is highly important that this careful watch 
be kept up not only by nurserymen, but by every fruitgrower, 
and especially those who are buying young trees, for, in so 
doing, we are resorting to the surest means of preventing the 
spread of one of the most serious pests of deciduous trees.” 
CONNECTICUT POMOLOGISTS. 
The sixth annual meeting of the Connecticut Pomological 
Society was held at Hartford, February loth and nth. Presi¬ 
dent Hale reviewed fruit crops, Professor C. G. Gully, of 
Storrs College, said he had visited all the fairs in the state and 
had found that in few instances was the fruit correctly named. 
State Pomologist N. S. Platt discussed “ Spread of Black 
Knot,” and H. E. Van Deman “Relations Between Nursery¬ 
man and Fruit Grower.” The following officers were elected: 
President, J. H. Hale, South Glastonbury ; vice-president, 
J. H. Merriam ; secretary, H. C. Miles ; treasurer, R. A. Moore. 
WISCONSIN HORTICULTURISTS. 
The annual meeting of the Wisconsin Horticultural Society 
was held at Madison, February 5-6. Among those present 
were F. C. Edwards and D. C. Converse, Fort Atkinson ; 
George J. Kellogg, Janesville ; A. D. Barnes, Waupaca. 
There was a general discussion of Wisconsin fruit interests. 
The following officers were elected : President, L. G. Kellogg, 
Ripon ; vice-president, William Toole, Baraboo ; secretary, A. 
J. Phillips, West Salem ; treasurer, R. J. Coe, Fort Atkinson ; 
corresponding secretary, W. J. Moyle, Yorkville. 
Great preparations are being made for the international hor¬ 
ticultural exhibition at Hamburg, Germany, from May to 
October. Cordial invitations have been issued to all countries 
to send exhibits. California is arranging to be well repre¬ 
sented. An effort was made by the management to secure an 
exhibit from Western New York, but fruit growers of that 
section decided not to undertake it. 
