The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1920-07-16
The FurrOW
Neq0s and V1e7vs Ab0ut kbe Farm

By inspection systems faithfully car
ried out the establishment of many
species of injurious insects and plant
diseases has been prevented. If such
work had been started many years
ago, its saving to the country at large
would have been enormous.
In New Jersey, by reason of the en-
forcement of such legislation, the pur-
chaser Of nursery stock is assured or
clean material to start with. The
fruit grower who buys hundreds of
trees with which to plant an orchard
and the commuter who carries lone
fruit tree home for planting in his
back yard. are both sure of getting
clean stock only by reason of the in
spection service, and in many cases
both are unaware that their interests
have been looked after by the State.
If SUCH a service did not exist, the
San Jose scale would still continue to
be distributed everywhere, crown gall
would be more prevalent than it il
and various other diseases and insects
would be purchased by the buyer,
along with the stock. 1t is not meant
by this that nurserymen are dishonest
and would knowingly sell pest-infested
stock, but in many cases the nursery
men themselves are unfamiliar with
such pests.
The same protection is given to the
purchaser of ornamental stock. The
wealthy estate owner, who buys thou
sands of ornamental trees and shrubs
for his private estate and the person
who buys 10-cent rose bush are both
beneficiaries under the inspection
law, and rs before, in many cases both
are unaware of its existence.
In addition, the inspection aids the
nurseryman by furnishing him with
an insect and disease record of his
nursery and help in combating pests
likely to become injurious. All thai
the Bureau of Inspection requires IS
that he sell stock free from insects
and plant diseases. This is perfectly
fair and reasonable demand, which IN
most cases is recognized as such.
Another result of inspection is the
prevention of the introduction of vari-
Gus European pests by the inspection
of imported stock Were it not for
this the State would be overrun with
foreign insects and diseases capable
of causing considerable economic loss.
If the bureau accomplished nothing
else during an entire year except the
destruction of a single case of seri-
ously infested stock, the cost of the
service would be well worth it, as the
amount expended would shrink to d
mere trifie compared with the amour
which would undoubtedly be expended
later in fighting the pest.
The brown-tail and gypsy moths
which are present in the New England
States have caused the Federal and
State governments an expenditure of
over 100000, and the same govern
ments together with private individ-
uals are spending $1,000,000 yearly
in an effort to prevent the increase and
spread of these insects. Both have
in the past entered New Jersey, but
the infestations have been promptly
eradicated. In one case, it was neces-
sary to call upon the Federal govern
ment for help. In the case OF the
gypsy moth, the pest was found to the
extent of 1913 egg masses in nursery
block of evergreens. In cooperation
with the Bureau of eff Entomology,
U. S. Department of Agriculture, the
services of a number of experienced
moth scouts were secured, and begin
ming at the point where the eggs were
found. the territory was secuted IN
every direction for four or five miles.