Cottonwood report. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1893-1901, 1898-07-22

nursery stock from countries where
the insect pest known as the San Jose
scale is prevalent, will interfere se-
riously with the nursery business OF
the United States. The Canadian min
lister OF agriculture declared that the
only state in the neighborhood Of Can
ada free from the pest was Maine"
We believe that the San Jose scale
should be fought. The Farmers Re-
view has always held that it is the
duty OF governments to prevent the
importations of dangerous insects and
fungoid diseases. The rights we claim
Tor our own government cannot be de-
MED to foreign governments. If we
quarantine or prohibit the importation
Of certain infected articles, or articles
that are very likely to be infected, we
cannot complain If other powers do
the same. But many of the restrictive
acts OF foreign governments during the
last few years partake very much OF
the appearance of prohibitive measures
Tor the protection of home industries
against American competition rather
than against any real danger of in
lection by American produced goods.
The prohibition of the import of Amer
lean nursery stock seems to be of this
character. 1t is a fact that in most of
our states few cases have been
found where the San Jose scale has
obtained foothold. But in these cases
1t is not nurseries that are infected,
but orchards that have been partly
planted with stock received from far
distant nurseries.
The nurserymen in all of the states
are greatly wrought up over the San
Jose scale, and doubtless there are
none that are not on the outlook for
the pest. There is little fear that any
OF the nurseries are sending out stock
that has even been exposed to the San
Jose scale. Even the few nurseries
that did at first inadvertently send out
infected stock have long since purified
their grounds, and with so rigid in
spection that 1t is doubtful if any of
the stock from them now carries the
danger. At a recent horticultural con-
vention we heard either Professor
Forbes or Professor Burrill make the
remark that he would not hesitate to
purchase stock from the New Jersey
nurseries that at first sent out the scale
on their stock, for the reason that
those people, having had their trade
already injured by those sales, have
since taken means to destroy all YES
tiges of the pest on their grounds.
They, more than any others, are on
constant guard against any new ex-
ports of the scale, for a single infected
stock would, when discovered, be her
aided far and wide, and result in great
financial loss to them. But as we have
said, the nurseries of the country are
not breeding the pest The danger now
is in the orchards that have been in
tested. Each Of the states is now TAX
ing a good deal of interest in exter-
minating the pest. In some of the
states only single locality has been
found where the scale exists It seems
very doubtful if the scale will live in
the colder climates, and Canada may
be safe for this if for no other reason.
1t is to be hoped that the Canadian reg
ulations will be modified. The stock
might at least be made admissible on
inspection, or when coming from
American nurseries, presenting GER
tificates of inspection and of freedom
from the scale.