Fig. 1. Pure bred two-year old Shorthorn steer bred in Greene County. Fed at Pennsylvania State College. Destruction and Treatment of San José Scale. Woolly Aphis. Borers. Pear Blight, Black Knot and Peach Yellows. Curculios. Codling Moth. Canker Worms. Tent Caterpillar. Bud Moth. Aphids or Plant Lice. Apple Seed Chalcis. (d) The Weekly Press Letter. With the exception of our Bi-monthly Bulletin, by far the most important publication of this office has been the Weekly Press Letter. This is our letter prepared weekly in printed galley or proof form, and sent to the newspapers of the State, ready for copying. It has been prepared regularly, and issued on time every Tuesday morning. Generally about three short articles are treated in about one-third column each, making about one column of newspaper articles that are appropriate to the season and conditions in this State. The publishers of papers have come to regard it as a regular contribution of matter of interest and of great value to their readers, and most of the newspapers in this State now regularly hold space for this letter and maintain a "Department of Plant Pests" by using it. It is sometimes copied in some of the leading newspapers of the United States, and occasionally used in the various horticultural and agricultural journals. This was the best plan that we have ever devised or known to be used for reaching the public with popular, timely articles. It has been very inexpensive, since the cost of publication, envelopes, and mailing is much less than one dollar per week. The great value in this service is in the fact that we have the co-operation of the newspapers, and thus the good work of this office is multiplied many fold without additional expense. It has undoubtedly been one of the great means of awakening men in the State of Pennsylvania to the production of better crops. Anyone who is awake to the agricultural interests in this State will not deny this statement, and, in fact, it could be made much stronger with equal truth. 4. LECTURES The Economic Zoologist has been called upon to deliver lectures in all parts of this State, and has responded to such an extent as his time from other duties would permit. These lectures have been chiefly devoted to the subjects of zoology in some of its broader or narrower fields, and also to orcharding, spraying, crop growing, soil improvement, implements, etc. Naturally the theme that is uppermost in the mind of the public in writing to this office is that of plant protection or pest suppression. We have delivered several illustrated lectures at the various meetings of county horticultural societies, county fairs, and other organizations and clubs, and have felt that some good must come from such efforts. Besides the addresses given by the Demonstrating and Inspecting force, the Economic Zoologist, himself, has delivered forty-five addresses in the State of Pennsylvania during the past year, many of which have been illustrated with original lantern slides. We are now fortunate in having with us in the office as Artist, Mr. John O. Smith, who is particularly proficient as a photographer, and who is able to make, from our own photographs, slides which are especially interesting and useful, 5. INSPECTION OF NURSERIES The work of nursery inspection has continued as usual, with Mr. E. B. Engle as Chief Nursery Inspector, assisted by such members of the office and field force as were available for special service when needed. A full report of the Nursery Inspection work for 1911 is published in the Bi-monthly Bulletin of the Bureau of Zoology for January, 1912. This shows that there were 200 nurseries inspected in the State of Pennsylvania during last year, comprising 3,130 acres. As these nurseries are inspected twice per year, during midsummer and again during the latter part of the winter, it can be seen that this work is a great task, but it is certainly efficient in insuring far better and healthier nursery stock than could be expected without it. It is my great pleasure to report that the attitude of the nurserymen has, in general, been very favorable in regard to the nursery inspection. Instead of feeling that the law is one which was established solely for the benefit of the tree grower, and against the nurseryman, they have come to see that it is of mutual advantage. and the people of this State now know that they can buy good, clean. healthy trees in this Commonwealth, and that no others are permitted to be grown, sold, or shipped, and they are rightly buying and planting home-grown trees and reaping the advantage thereof. fact, as a result of our campaign in nursery inspection and against fraudulent tree agents, we are hearing less and less of the rank frauds formerly practiced among our agricultural people by the travelling tree agent or jobber. 6. INSPECTION OF IMPORTED PLANTS, SEEDS AND FRUITS Not only are the nurseries carefully inspected to prevent the dissemination of pests from them, but it is likewise essentially important that all plants and seeds brought into this State for propagation purposes shall be free from obnoxious or injurious pests. Thus the inspection of imported plants is something of great value to our growers in all parts of the State, and it has been pushed with all vigor and faithfulness possible. The people of this State will scarcely realize the wonderful extent of the plant inspection that is done by this office. For example. during the spring of this year we received a report that nine carloads of imported plants were coming to one of our large Eastern nurserymen. When these immense boxes contained tens of thousands of small trees and shrubs were opened, we had several inspectors present, and all were inspected with a thoroughness, efficiency and expediency that was remarkable and gratifying. |