46 
THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN. 
ENDORSEMENT. 
Fruit Growers’ Journal Supports the Nurs¬ 
erymen’s Position—Says Orchards should 
Be Protected From Infested Fruit. 
The Michigan Farmer whose horticultural department is 
noted for its sturdy defense of horticultural interests in general 
and Michigan horticultural interests in particular, published 
in a state where the appearance of San Jose scale has caused 
alarm and where, therefore, the situation is not one of passive 
looking on, supports the position of the National Nursery¬ 
man on the federal insect bill in the following unmistakable 
terms : 
“ The peculiar thing about the act is the fact that foreign 
fruit is to be subjected to such inspection, but no reference 
is made to domestic fruit. This is what has excited the ire 
of nurserymen. They contend, and with truth, that such in¬ 
sects as the San Jose scale, are just as liable to be spread 
through the fruit shipped from affected orchards as through 
stocks sent out by nurserymen. The fact that the convention 
demanded the inspection of imported fruit is pretty good evi¬ 
dence that those who took part in it knew quite well that the 
fruit was equally as dangerous a means of transmitting diseases 
and insect pests as trees, plants, buds, or scions. With this 
knowledge it is certainly a singular thing for them to omit 
domestic fruit from the list of articles for which they demand 
government inspection, stamping and labeling. 
“ It is a fact known to all fruit growers who have given any 
attention to the subject, that for the past two years California 
pears, shipped .into this and other states, have shown the 
presence of the San Jose scale, the most dangerous pest known 
to the fruit grower. If it is to be disseminated over the coun¬ 
try by the fruit of affected orchards, what is the sense of 
inspecting and labeling nursery stock ? We are in far more 
danger in this state from California fruit than from eastern 
nursery stock, and any law for the prevention of the spread of 
such pests which does not recognize this fact will prove worth¬ 
less. In case such an act as the one referred to becomes a law, 
then states free from such insect pests, as a precaution against 
them, should pass laws preventing the shipment of fruits into 
them from other states whose orchards are suffering from dan¬ 
gerous diseases and injurious insects.” 
THE FRUIT OUTLOOK. 
Advices to the American Agriculturist from specialists, state 
horticulturists, and commercial orchardists, brought down to 
the latest possible date, show general health in peach and 
apple orchards, and the prospect continued for a fair crop, 
although the middle and northern states are by no means out 
of the way of frost. The famous Georgia peach belt suffered 
through several weeks of hard rain which blasted the later 
bloom and rotted the small peaches already formed. Around 
Ft. Valley, while reports are somewhat contradictory, indica¬ 
tions point to sharp damage, particularly to the Elberta peach. 
A leading orchardist of Bibb Co. reports that the crop of 
Elbertas will be possibly a fifth of a full one, other varieties a 
quarter to a third of a crop ; small fruit in Georgia generally 
promising. Japan plums in middle and lower Georgia appar¬ 
ently unhurt, and the few apple orchards uninjured. The 
promising peach sections of Saluda and Aiken counties, S. C., 
will probably ship a large quantity of fruit, many young 
orchards coming into bearing this season; some damage 
through cold weather, and much fruit already formed will fall 
off. Outlook in Eastern Tennessee generally fair, although 
some damage to peaches on low ground. 
The great peach growing belt of the peninsula and middle 
states promises a liberal yield, although there is still plenty of 
time for accidents, including belated frosts. 
Usually at the forefront as a producer, York state has a rich 
promise at this early date of a good yield of most kinds of 
fruit, barring some exceptions. A rest season is generally ex¬ 
pected in apple orchards, although some kinds including 
Golden Russets, Pippins and Wealthy, give promise of fair 
yields. Blossom buds on Baldwins and Greenings are scarce 
in nearly all parts of the state. Peaches, pears, plums and 
cherries came through the winter in good shape, giving promise 
of fairly liberal yields so far as bloom goes, but cold rain 
storms are liable to work disaster, particularly in cherries. 
Fruit trees yielding indifferently last year at the same time 
make strong and healthy growth, which may tell in the fruit¬ 
age this season. In the western part of the state, from Wayne 
and Ontario counties to the Niagara river and Lake Erie, fruit 
growers are generally encouraged, although not expecting very 
many apples. Fruit trees on the southern shore of Lake 
Ontario are in excellent condition, measurably free from in¬ 
sects or fungous diseases, except in a section in the central 
portion of Wayne and.Orleans counties, where the canker 
worm has become thoroughly established. Peach buds were 
seriously damaged by cold weather, but not completely de¬ 
stroyed as at first thought, and may make a light crop. In the 
Chautauqua grape belt the outlook is promising for nearly all 
kinds of fruit except apples. 
Michigan’s peach crop is important, not only to the growers 
represented, but also to the markets of Chicago and the West 
generally. While some injury has been done, particularly in 
orchards distant from the lake, and in the central and southern 
part of the state, the peach growing sections in the main 
promise fairly well. State Horticulturist Taft writes that 
from appearances in early April the product will be 75 to 80 
per cent, of a full crop. Owing to large yields the past two 
years the vitality of the trees has been impaired. Further west 
and southwest fruit orchards are in generally healthy condi¬ 
tion, one of the leading fruit growers of Wisconsin reporting 
the outlook in that state for fruit generally, the best in ten 
years. Prof. Budd of the Iowa agricultural college reports 
apple and cherry trees in good condition, while Horticulturist 
Whitten of the Missouri college points to considerable loss in 
peach buds, particularly in the northwestern part of the state, 
with a good outlook elsewhere and bright promise for apples 
and plums. New England does not expect a full crop of 
apples this year. 
SAN JOSE SCALE IN GEORGIA. 
No bill has as yet been passed by the Georgia legislature re¬ 
garding San Jose scale, but it is very probable that stringent 
legislation will be urged at the next session, as the pest has al¬ 
ready made its appearance at several points in the state. 
