planted that the State should appropriate enough money to enable the Station to put men at work to locate and require the destruction of trees affected.

The growth of this industry has been very great in recent years and it has become a source of large income to the owners of lands in those parts of the State that have been found to be well adapted to peach and plum growing. In some of the counties the returns for sales this year have run up into several hundred thousand dollars.

The inspection of these trees must be made by and under the personal supervision of experts on the subject. In addition to the inspection of orchards generally through the State the regions where these fruits are grown in the largest quantities should be thoroughly patrolled for several years in order that the disease may be eradicated if possible and thus save a very profitable industry of those sections. I recommend, therefore, that at least ten thousand dollars be appropriated for that work for each of the next two years, in addition to some appropriated to continue the work upon insects.

Very respectfully,

J. H. STEWART,

Director West Virginia Agricultural Experiment Station.

REPORT OF THE ENTOMOLOGICAL DEPARTMENT, 1905-6. W. E. Rumsey and F. E. Brooks.

INTRODUCTION.

During the period covered by this report (October 1st, 1905, to September 30th, 1906,) rather more than the usual number of insect pests occurred in West Virginia. A few species were abnormally abundant over considerable areas. Among these were the locust hispa, rose chafer, fruit-tree bark beetle and fall web-worm. Mention may also be made of the 1906 brood of the periodical cicada which appeared in numerous swarms in several of the eastern and southern counties.

While a few species of insects were more destructive than usual, other well known pests were conspicuously absent. Among these were the Hessian fly and apple tent-caterpillar. The former was reported

only from one locality in the State (Hardy county), and the latter was present over a much smaller area than usual.

The abundant rains of the past summer caused a heavy foliage and a vigorous growth of all kinds of plants. For this reason insect injury was, perhaps, less conspicuous than would have been the case had the season been dry, the vigorous condition of the plants enabling them better to withstand the attacks.

While the loss from insects was very general there was an encouraging disposition on the part of the farmers and fruit growers to pay greater attention to up-to-date methods of checking or preventing the loss. This was indicated by the increased number of spray pumps brought into use and by the greater care shown in crop rotation as a means of checking insect injury. The number of inquiries and specimens of

injurious insects received through the mail by this department was greater during the past year than ever before. Specimens, accompanied with requests for information as to species and remedies were especially abundant during the ripening season of fruit and in the early spring when trees and plants were being pruned. At these periods of the year fruit growers are spending much time in their orchards and are consequently more apt to notice depredators of any kind.

It is needless to say that such specimens and the requests for infor mation accompanying them are always gladly received. They enable us to distribute such facts as may be at hand relating to the particular pests and also add to our collection of insects and our knowledge of the distribution of injurious species in the State. This increased desire for a practical knowledge of our insect pests is a good index of the interest being taken in the efforts of the Station to assist in bettering the conditions. of the orchardists.

NURSERY INSPECTION.

About the usual number of nurseries were inspected during the year. A list of these, including the names of owners, location, date of inspection and condition will be found on page 12 of this report.

Four nurserymen have discontinued the business since the inspection of 1905, namely, W. A. Duckworth, Doddridge county, Fry Bros., Jefferson county, W. B. Baker, Hampshire county, and R. A. Livezey, Putnam county. Nurseries belonging to A. T. McMurray & Son, Wood county, D. R. Westbrook, Pleasants county, and Virgil Vandervort, Monongalia county, have been added to the list of those inspected this year.

There are a number of well-kept nurseries in West Virginia which produce large quantities of first class stock which is as free from insect pests and plant disease as can be found anywhere in the country. Such stock, grown in our own soil and climate, when freshly dug, may well be given the preference by planters over that grown in other States. On the other hand there are a few nurseries, which we are required to inspect, that consist of small blocks of neglected and stunted trees that are unfit for the market, even though they are not infested or infected with dangerous insects and diseases.

INFESTED NURSERIES.

Notwithstanding the efforts which were made to eradicate the San Jose scale from the infested nurseries in 1905, its presence was again detected this year in two nurseries of the State. Much time has been spent in seeking out and destroying the infested trees in these nurseries. As an additional precaution all the stock for present delivery was fumigated with hydrocyanic acid gas under our supervision before certificates were issued. Fumigation with this gas is considered the most effective remedy for scale insects that can safely be applied to living trees. It is the policy of the Station not to issue, under any circumstances, a clear certificate covering nursery stock affected with San Jose scale or peach yellows. In all such cases the certificates granted to the nurserymen are so worded as to indicate the true condition of the stock.

In the cases of the infested nurseries mentioned above the presence of the San Jose scale was noted on the certificates, together with a statement of fumigation.

We have reason to hope that in the future no San Jose scale will be found in these nurseries. All blocks of old stock have been cleaned up and the young stock thoroughly sprayed with the most effective scale destroying materials known. The buds and cions used in the future for propagation will be obtained from sources known to be free from infesta

tion.

The insect known as Forbes scale has been observed in three or four nurseries and the scurfy scale in all nurseries visited. Neither of these insects is likely to do much damage but in all cases badly infested trees were destroyed.

PEACH YELLOWS AND MILDEW.

In the nursery of J. W. Shull, of Hanging Rock, Hampshire county, a number of peach trees were found that bore unmistakable evidence of the presence of peach yellows. These trees had been allowed to grow two years before being budded, which is not a good nursery practice. The entire block of diseased trees was destroyed and a certificate issued covering only the apple, pear and European plum trees. The disease known as peach yellows, rarely, if ever, develops so that it can be detected on properly grown one-year-old trees in the nursery row.

The apple trees in nearly every nursery inspected this year were affected to a greater or less extent with mildew. Rome Beauty trees seem to suffer most but in several nurseries the trouble was so serious as to make the young growth on many varieties appear as though it had been whitewashed. The disease had checked the growth of the trees and was evidently preventing the wood from maturing properly. This subject is discussed at greater length in the report of the Bacteriologist.