THE NATIONAL NURSERYMAN 
337 
to show what part birds play in this game of living, is equal 
prominence given to all other methods for insect control, 
each one necessary or important as the other. It is useless 
wielding the spray pump and poisoning both pest and tree, 
working contrary to nature, while conservation is so little 
understood or practiced. 
Italy and other European countries arc using herculean 
efforts in the endeavor to save birds, but it is almost too 
late. In one part of Massachusetts, a state farm of five 
thousand acres is to be set apart solely for the purpose of 
bird propagation. 
Because we lose fruit from a cherry tree, or grapes, or 
part of any other crop, we are apt to think that the destruc¬ 
tion of the birds doing the injury will help us. It may, 
temporarily. But if a bird eats'cherries for one week, what 
does he live upon for the remaining fifty-one weeks in the 
year? Even while he eats fruit, he is devouring cut-worms, 
canker-worms and a host of other grubs and insects. The 
farmer kills the hawk because he will, occasionally, catch a 
chicken; and linnets and sparrows multiply. There is no 
sound argument in favor of bird destruction against crop 
damage, for the very reason that almost all birds would, 
with equal justice, come under the ban. 
As previously shown, the remedy is often worse than the 
disease; opinions among so-called experts differ most radi¬ 
cally on almost all that pertains to the general subject of 
the economic cultivation of plant life. This season curl- 
leaf of the peach has been unusually prevalent. We sprayed 
twice with the same formula that in other seasons was given 
the credit of preventing this affection, but this year with no 
good resulting whatever. Crimson Rambler roses, mildew¬ 
ing badly every year, this year were free. The late James 
Shinn thirty-five years ago remarked, as a result of long 
experience, that this disease was dependent upon the com¬ 
parative susceptibility of certain varieties to climatic 
influences. 
You say, “Would you then have no laws?” I would have 
laws, but let them be founded on common sense, on justice, 
on principle. Horticultural law, as pertaining to the 
Horticultural Commission, would be better known as em¬ 
bodying “horticultural sanitation,” and education will prove 
vastly more efficient than a statute book full of “Thou 
Shalt Nots” which cannot be enforced. Let the state law 
be strengthened, if need be, to compel any plant or tree 
grower or owner to “clean up” or pay the expenses of such 
work done arbitrarily. Let biological and entomological 
work go on under direction of the State University, with 
sufficient financial state aid; and, above all, encourage prim¬ 
arily the work carried on by Mr. Carnes and his able 
assistants of the State Insectary, and ever let their work 
be known, so that additional appropriations may be ob¬ 
tained when needed to aid in the discovery, introduction, 
propagation, and dissemination of beneficial insects. 
The grand work done by the Horticultural Commission 
in preventing the introduction of insect pests or diseases 
from abroad is especially commiendable; where more help is 
needed, it should be available. But, when it comes to a 
great commonwealth divided and sub-divided into other 
commonwealths, states, counties, districts, municipalities. 
or what not, each legislating against the other, it presents a 
spectacle unedifying, unproductive of good, unjust, encourag¬ 
ing animosity and vindictiveness,'inviting retaliation, and 
by the acknowledged illegality of many of the ordinances 
framed and executed, holding up the law itself to disrespect 
and ridicule. 
I will give a few illustrations the point of which will 
appeal to all unprejudiced i)crsons, and I would not be here 
today if I did not have abiding faith in the love of fair-play 
inherent in the American people. 
A car-load of trees was shipped from the North to a far 
southern point. These trees by a county official at point 
of destination were declared diseased, and the shipper 
received much injurious advertising in consequence, besides 
the expense of a trip of many hundreds of miles, loss of time, 
etc. After further examination, it was found that a mistake 
had been made, and the trees were passed as healthy; the 
loss sustained by injury to the reputation of the firm can 
hardly be computed, but offer of redress, or even apology 
is rarely heard. 
While the personnel of the various local officials is im¬ 
proved, I contend that intelligent nurserymen, who have 
been growing trees and plants for twenty, forty, or fifty 
years, know vastly more about plant life in health or disease 
than do the well-meaning youngsters just out of school, or 
the appointees of a board of supervisors. 
The most iniquitous part of the whole farce is for the self- 
constituted judge and jury to rush into his local paper and 
publicly besmirch the good name of a man who has been 
honorably conducting business for a quarter or half a century 
because, forsooth, there is an insect, real or imaginary, on a 
tree; because he finds a so-called “knot” which is often 
but a mechanical enlargement caused by the twisting 
together of the young roots; or a “callous” on the cut surface 
of the root! These illustrations are actual ones, and I 
could relate hundreds of them. In all these things the 
inspectors exceed their authority. 
Inspection at Packing House 
The nurserymen want a state law, with rigid inspection 
at the point of shipment, or, in other words, at the packing 
house during the packing season. I doubt if there are a" 
dozen nurseries in California that would require the constant, 
consecutive inspection of even one man. The work could 
be systematized and the majority of the nurseries could 
have certain hours or days for inspection when stock was 
to go out of the county. The tax-payers would be the 
gainers. Either they would get better service for their 
money, or appropriations could be reduced or returned into 
a more worthy channel. For what is the use of inspection 
and inspectors’ certificates if nowhere honored? It is like 
the law saying every package by mail containing seeds, 
cuttings, plants, etc., shall be inspected, but providing no 
means wherewith to do the inspecting. 
I believe in the “gospel of good tidings.” There is every¬ 
where a “rattling of dry bones,” a shaking off of the trammels 
of superstition and creeds. Sanitation and right-living 
applies as much to the plant world as to human beings. 
Cleanliness and temperance save life while drugs destroy it. 
