Mountain Home maverick. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1906-1911, 1909-06-03

man that there is danger of the brown
tail moth being spread in Idaho fruit
districts by being shipped here on sap
lings from France. This warning
should be sent broadcast and the
Maverick there with copies the article:
During the past three weeks State
horticultural Inspector J. R. Field
has made hurried trips to the various
nurseries in southern Idaho owing to
the importation of seedlings from
France which have been found to con-
tain larva of the brown tail moth.
The presence of the larva, with one
or two exceptions. was discovered in
each instance and nests were carefully
destroyed, special instructions being
given to all nursery men concerning
the treatment of this young stock in
the future lest the terrible plague
should secure foothold in Idaho.
The moths are found over large sec
tons of Europe. but in America only
in the state of Massachusetts,, where
year after year the state has waged
its war to save not only fruit trees
and shrubs. but forest trees as well.
at an expense of millions of dollars.
Inspector Field. after inspecting
stock at two of the nurseries where
the larva was found, addressed a
sc cond series of letters to the fruit
tree men. urging still greater pre-
caution, as follows:
II am making practice of ex-
amining each Seeding for the moth
nest and then dipping stock in
per cent solution of lime and sulphur
to kill stray larva burning all pack
ing boxes and packing material. You
see we are taking every possible pre-
caution to prevent the importation of
this insect. Please have on hand a
few gallons of some brand of COM
mercially prepared lime and sulphur
for dipping purposes. Do not fail to
advise me Immediately upon receipt
of stock. OF course | have no objec-
tions to your getting your boxes from
the railroad and hauling to your
place of business, but must insist
that boxes not be opened until my
arrival.
"'This letter was followed by num-
erous others along the same line.
Inspector Field states. and all who
receive them carried out my instruc-
lions to the letter, leaving the boxes
unopened until my arrival This
work has taken up the greater part
of my time since March / and have
examined personally between 500. 200
and Goo. 900 French seedlings. In
practically all cases when making an
examination had the deputy inspector
in whose district the nursery was
located present at the time of the
examination, that he might become
familiar with the pest. and few
small lots we're examined by two OF
the deputies without my being pre-
sent.
"The number of nests of the larvs
found was not large, about half Of
the shipments being apparently free
in others l found from one to three
nests, but as one nest would be suffi-
cient to start the insect in this state,
the Importance Of work is apparent
In making the examination | selected
spot in cellar of building where
the light was good. where the vino
could not reach and where there was
an opportunity for gathering up all
packing material used. After 8
careful examination of each Seeding
for nests, they were tied in bundles
and dipped in per cent solution
of lime and sulphur to destroy pos
sible stray caterpillar. The packing
material and boxes were then taker
to convenient spot and burned t.
destroy any larva which might pos
sibly be there.
cit does not seem possible thai
with this thorough method that any
of the larva could have escaped me,
but as the season progressed fount
that there were a numbere of men il
the state who were going into the
nursery business. usually on small
scale. who have not applied for {
bond or in any way notified this office
of their intention. | located mum.
Der of these men through mobilization.
of shipments from the New YORK
state and national horticultural de-
partments. Some were located by
our deputy inspectors and others by
information received from bonded
naxserymen. My fear of introduction
ID this pest into Idaho is due largel,
to the thought that there may b,
others starting in the nursery business
whom have not yet located.
Il am asking that inspectors watcl
closely for any nurserymen whom w
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