The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1906-01-10

on the citrus fruit trees In California,
and well-known writers in that state
both practical men and scientists, con-
slider it by far the best means of deal
ing with insect pests for this class Of
trees.
The fumigation of nursery stock,
however, is quite a different problem.
Here the plants can be brought to-
gether in a small room. the contents
of which are known, and in this way
the operation is very much cheapened
and simplified. This method of treat
ing nursery stock has been practiced
in Virginia for 10 years, and it is
now generally conceded both by nur-
serymen and nursery inspectors, that
fumigatiOn is the best treatment for
nursery stock. The question as to the
effectiveness of fumigatiOn against the
San Jose scale, when properly done,
and also as to its nOn-injuriOus effect
OH deciduOuS fruit plants, while in
the dormant state, was definitely set
tied some years ago. A few nursery
men and fruit-grOwerS have claimed
recently that trees were injured by
fumigatiOn and, because of these
claims. some exhaustive experiments
were conducted during the fall of 1904
to learn. if possible, whether we were
all mistaken in regard to this matter,
and whether fumigation really is in
furious to nursery stock. A f. Bur
ges. State Entomologist of Ohio, T. B.
Symons, State EntOmolOgist of Mary
land. and the writer undertook this
work in the fall of 1904, each without
the knowledge of the other. We all
al
conclusions, namely, that fumigatiOn,
as recommended by nursery inspectors,
will not injure wellmatured nursery
stock. Whenever our attention has
been called to apparent injury by
fumigat ton, we have almost always
been able to trace it to some other
cause. The most fruitful source of
this is the exposure of stock to sun
or wind, or improper methods of
heeling into the soil. The writer can
speak only for Virginia and a few
other states in which the conditions
are known to him. In these cases
fumigatiOn is not a farce. Our nur-
Serymen show no disposition to shirk
their duties or minimize the impOr-
lance of this very necessary operation,
and should they do so, there would be
no hesitation in enforcing the law so
as to protect the fruit-grower to the
fullest extent.
A man, with his mind made up is
very hard to convince, or In the words
of the old prOverb, "A man convinced
against his will, is of the same opinion
STILL So the editor does not change
lis mind but in the same paper COM
ments on the above as follows:
Prof. Phillips of Virginia, on page
S1S defends the practice of fumigating
nursery stock. All readers do not
understand that ''fumigatiOn'' means
exposing trees to hydrocyanic acid
gas in tight box or room. The object
is to kill scale insects which may be
Oh the trees. We think Prof. Phillips
will find upon investigation that the
majority of fruitgrOwers throughout
the country prefer to take their
chances with trees that have not been
fumigated. If there is any question
about this we shall be pleased to hear
the facts from readers. Some of the
entOmOlOgiStS who favor fumigatiOn
believe that the digging of trees too
early in the season is responsible for
practically all injury that is charged
to fumigatiOn,'' and that trees too
green to fumigate are too green to
Gi,r.- ms these