The times., 1898-12-29
THE SAN JOSE SCALE.
Germany Continues the Strictest In
spection of American Fruits.

spectiOn OF American Fruits.
Consul General Frank H. Mason, at
Frankfort, writes to the State Depart
ment regarding American dried fruit at
the German frontiers. as follows:
Early in October last, the German
newspapers contained press t. egram
from Hamburg. announcing that eggs or
Ia. see INC oaH Jose Scale ma be n dis
covered in Z shipment OF dried pears Of
California origin So far as was then re-
ported, no evidences of San Jose scale
have been found in any American dried
peaches, apricots. or prunes, although all
those fruits come from the same dis
triets as pears and nectarines. and are
similarly dried in a natural condition
that is, without being pared.
In consequence of these discoveries
the regulations which govern the inspec-
ton of imported fruits have been s1arp-
ened and are so enforced as to require the
official examination at the frontier of not
only fresh, but all dried fruits as we'll Il
is conceded that the scale can only de-
posit its eggs on the outside or skin OF
the different fruits, and therefore fruits
which have been pared In the process OF
curing are admitted freely without micro
seopic inspection. But as nothing IS taken
for granted by the officials in this country.
II IS EtCcSSeTy 10 prove COuEllSlNeiy III
each instance that all the dried fruit in
any given shipment has actually bean
peeled. and for this purpose it is required
that not less than 10 per cent of the boxes
in each shipment shall be opened II the
fruit is thus found to have been pared, il
passes without further fOrmaiity; If not,
1t is submitted to the prescribed micro
seopic inspection.
In consequence of the trouble and delay
involved by such examinations. the Rhine
steamship lines having their termini at
Antwerp and Rotterdam have since the 5th
of November refused TO receive as freight
dried fruits of American origin. Carrying
freight of that class would involve the
stoppage of the steamer at the frontier
river station OF Emerich, the landing and
examination of a portion Of each lot, which
would entail handling and loss of time
that would overbalance the freight value
of the merchandise.
But as large quantities of American
dried fruits were already purchased and
in transit to this country via Rotterdam
and Antwerp, and as these shipments could
not be stopped enroute, it has been neces-
sary to ship them to the interior Of
Germany by rail, with inspection at the
frontier stations Venlo and Herbesthal.
This entails an important increase in the
cost Of such importations, as follows: For
freight OF the class to which dried fruits
belong, the average rate per river steamer
frcm Rotterdam or Antwerp to Frankfort
is s2.3S per 2,2e4.6 pounds The rate BIZ
rail from the points named to Frankfort is
s714 per ton. The effect of present con-
ditions will be to concentrate the import
of American dried fruits into Germany at
Hamburg
Meanwhile great interest has been
aroused in commercial circles BY the an
nouncement from America that the Depart
ment of Agriculture at Washington has de-
monstrated by experiment that the vitality
of the San Jose scale is effectively de-
stroyed by each o. the several methods of
commercial drying praetieed in the United
States as applied to apples. pears, peaches.
apricots. prunes and nectarines. viz. sun
drying and artificial evaporation, with or
without the use of sulphur.
In so far as defensive measures are ap-
piled to trees, cuttings and plants from the
United States. the government here is fully
sustained by public opinion, for the San
Jose scale is a disastrous pest But how
dried fruits which go from the packing box
at the grocers to the stew pan in the kiteh-
en- can carry danger from a germ so micro
scopic and inert as the egg of the Schild-
laus is not so clear. 1t is only when tha
supply of American fruits is obstructed or
cut OF by any artificial restriction that the
vast Importance of this trade to both eoun-
tries can be readily realized