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

! derstood at once that our efforts are not
aimed at total eradication. but at check
and control of this paT. When you strike
ma iure you strike a monster You can re-
ard her progress but you can never stop
her fundamental laws.
T should explain, however, that in To-
calities where the scale has been introduce
ed, but not thoroughly established, it may
| be eradicated. believe that nearly
every case that has been dis
covered in North Georgia has
been cxterminated by reason of the fact
that with one exception only few trees
were Involved in each case and these
were quickly dug up and burned. If we
got every infested tree and plant, then
the scale was eradicated from these local
tiles, but it yet remains to be seen
whether some scales did not escape de-
lection. When you are looking for an in
sect as small as the san Jose scale, about
the size of pin head you are never sure
that some have not been overlooked. If
the same plan of work should be adopted
/ in South Georgia over half a million bear
ing trees would go up in smoke and flame,
as the newspaper reporter would put it;
and then it would take every entomologist
in the United States twelve months to
locate the struggling scales that have got
ten out into the old fields and along the
highways.
Nursery Inspection.
Perhaps the most important work look
ing to the control of the San Jose scale is
the inspection of nurseries. The ease with
which this insect can spread over nurs-
cry on account of the interlacing branches
and the constant handling of plants, and
the fact that these plants are widely dis
tributed over the country, make an in
tested nursery Veritable hot-bed for
the Dropag cation and dissemina ton of the
scale. Hence the necessity for keeping
the nurseries clear.
The first general inspection of the nur-
series was made in the fall of 1898, and
the scale was found on nine different nurs-
cry premises Five of these were clean
ed up by burning and fumigatine and
four were closed down. Fortunately, on
the second round of inspection, which was
made last fall, only two nurseries were
found infested These were likewise
cleaned up, and so far as can be deter
mined by rigid inspection, the nurseries
OF the state ore free from this pest. The
law requires that the nurserymen shall
be compelled to have their premises in
| spected annually on or before the first Of
November each year, and that ceruhcates
shall be issued to those whose stock Is
found in a healthy condition. On last
falls inspection certificates we're issued TO
sixty-two nurserymen. These certificat ties,
however should not be taken as an
a absolute guarantee against the scale be-
cause from the very nature of this insect
it is quite impossible for any entomologist
TO be absolutely certain that a nursery is
entirely free from 1t, even after thor
ough inspection But this inspection, cou-
pied with fumigation, is the best possible
guarantee of freedom that can be obtain
ed.
All nurserymen located in infested sec
lions are required to fumigate with hydro
cyanic acid gas as precaution against
the possible existence of scale on their
premises, though thorough inspection may
have revealed no traces of it,
Treatment of san Jose Scale.
In dealing with the San Jose scale it
sometimes becomes necessary to root up
and burn the infested trees, but I have
made IL a rule TO enforce such radical
measures only under the following condi-
tons:
First. When the infested trees are dead
or IN dying condition and beyond recov-
cry.
Second. When the owner of the infest-
ed trees absolutely refuses or neglects to
treat.
Third When the infestation involves
only small number OF trees situated in
a locality otherwise free from the scale.
Fourth. When nursery stock is found
infested In condemning trees to be de-
stroyed l have tried to limit the authority