The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-01-24

eign nurserymen, as well, which serves
TO protect us in great measure from in
sects liable to be introduced into this
country.
This fact alone is sufficient to warrant
the continuance of our present law and
rules with perhaps a few changes. 1t
has been repeatedly demonstrated that i'm
ported pests are the most dangerous. In
sects transported from one country to an
other find themselves under the energiZ-
ing influence of new environments and are
supplied with less resistant host plants,
and suddenly separated from their par
asitic and predaceous enemies as they US
ualy are, they develop to excessive fe-
cundity and destructiveness; while in
their original home, where their food
plants are more resistant by inheritance
and where their natural enemies predomi-
nate they may not have attracted atten-
ton at all. Insects are thus brought into
prominence that were never known be-
fore. We have only to witness the San
Jose scale, probably the worst pest with
which the fruit growers now have to con-
tend. Until it was discovered in Cali
fornia, some twenty years ago, it had
never been known. 1t was of so little
Importance in Japan, its probable original
nome, that it was not brought to notice.
After it's introduction into California it
made rapid strides toward the East,
sweeping away thousands of fruit trees
with it, until it has become terror TO
the fruit growers and nurserymen
throughout the United States and Cam
ada. Quarantine regulations against in
sects liable to be imported into this coun-
try, properly belonging to the federal gov
eminent but since we have no such pro-
lection from that source, our state law
serves TO exclude such importations from
the bounds of this state to considerable
degree.
! might say just here, by way of pa
renthesis, thar a federal bill was intro
Cuced into Congress Dec. 4, 1899 providing
for rules and regulations governing the
Importation of nursery stock and for the
inspection of nursery stock grown with
in the United StateS which become sub
iects of interstate commerce. This bill is
of very great importance. as ii provides
for uniform regulation governing the
transportation of plants in interstate COM
merce and for quarantine regulation
against dangerous insects liable to be in
troduced into this country, and | think II
deserves the support of our senators and
representatives.
| am pleased to report that our law has
worked admirably and has met with very
little opposition in its enforcement We
have had two cases of complaint from
nurservmen outside of the state that the
law was unjust 20 them. but | think these
complaints were entirely unwarranted. AS
a rule. we have had the hearty co-opera-
ton of the fruit growers and nurserymen
of this state, which fact has enabled me
10 push the work of combating the or
chard pests with striking success.
distribution of San Jose Scale.
When I took charge Of the state work in
1898 INV first aim was ito determine the ex-
tent of spread of the San Jose scale over
the state and nearly the whole year was
snent in the field among the fruit grow
ers and nurserymen Most of the state,
particularly the fruit growing sections
was covered. This inspection work is still
kent m from time to time and OCCASION
allv a new infested locality Is brought to
light. This inspection work has revealed
goo cases of scale ranging from small
nremises of a few hundred trees TO or
cbards of $4,000 trees, not including hun
dreds of gardens and wayside cases In
such counties as Irwin, Berrien, Worth
and Mitchell These cases are distributed
over thirty counties, principally in the
southern part of the state, only lve coun-
Ties north of Macon having been found IN
tested.
So far as can be determined this insect
has been in Georgia about ten years, nav
ing been brought from California about
1850 and subsequently from New Jersey and
MARYLAND. Two important nurseries be-
came infested perhaps as early as lS'o'