Graham guardian., 1909-11-19
WILL PREVENT PESTS
Horticultural Commission De-
cides to Keep Out In
tested Trees


cultural Commission met in Tucson
and Phoenix during the last two
weeks and ground out considerable
business.
Prof. X. F. Forbes and Hon. An
drew Kimball met in Tucson on the
I'd inst, agreeable to the time set
by law, and as their chairman, Mr..
Foster Rockwell could not be with
them, after attending to the general
business matters connected with the
commission up to date, they adj
journed to meet in the capital the
following Tuesday.
At Phoenix there were several
sessions of the commission. 1t be-
came apparent that some opposition
would be raised to the quarantine
measures of the law in the orange
growing districts, for this reason
and to give those from the other
parts of the Territory the oppor-
tunity of meeting the commission,
the meeting was held in Phoenix.
All interested were invited pub
Ideally to meet with the commission
and the entomologist, where, if they
had any protests to make, they
might have opportunity. Fully
thirty citizens congregated in the
back office room of the Valley Bank.
DR.. A. w. Morrell, entomoligist
for the commission and experiment
al station, gave those present the
advantage of report he had made
to the commission, to the effect that
there is no district either in Florida,
where he had worked for five years
or more, nor in California, where
he lately, under the direction of the
commission, investigated matters,
no nursery stock is free from in
fectuous diseases, pests or insects,
that if such stock is imported into
this Territory without the strictest
inspection our country would soon
be ruined.
In cooperating with their resolu-
tions the support the commission
received from the sentiment of the
citizens who met with them, the
commission will send a copy of the
law and the action of the commits
sion to each nurseryman. dealer in
nursery stock and all concerned, to
the effect that any trees, shrubs or
plants of any kind coming into this
Territory in the future found in
Tested with any of the pests referred
to, would be Immediately sent back
to the shippers.
In the course of the discussion
had in the meeting of citizens, it
was thought by some that nursery
stock especially in oranges could not
be raised in Arizona, to satisfy the m
selves of the situation, the commits
sioners were taken in an automobile
by a friend out about fifty miles
into the orange growing district,
where they visited and examined at
least two nursery beds of orange
trees, that in every particular were
excellent. Mr.. Rockwell, chairman
of the commission, and member
of the firm of Rogers & Rockwell,
who are among the largest orange
growers in the Territory, and who
recently visited California, declared
that they were better than anything
he had seen in the citrus districts of
California.
AS pertaining to deciduous fruits
(those varieties that drop their
leaves in winter), in which the peo-
pie living in the Gila Valley and
other of the colder sections of the
Territory, are mostly interested, the
commissioners are giving full por-
ton of their time and consideration.
Prof. R. E. Lee Wixom, Inspector
for district No. l. whose address is
Thatcher, is well up on his work,
and ready to give information to
any who desires to know.
The pests and insects have made
their appearance in the upper Gila
Valley to an alarming extent, and
without the most rigid inspection
and enforcement of the law, grow
ing of deciduous fruits will be
failure. 1t is evident that the en-
actment of the law was a little
tardy, but the necessity of it is ap-
parent on all sides.
To get this law enacted, in the
interests of economy, there was no
provision made for the compensa-
tion of the members of the commits
sion, so like missionary workers,
these gentlemen are devoting them
selves for the good of the people
throughout the Territory, therefore
they ask for hearty cooperation
with them of all who are interested
in fruit growing and the general
orond of tha Territorv