N 34 ill f\a*t> -3 ' 'SH n UBRAR*- G0P> ^ ,,/ CONNECTICUT AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION NEW HAVEN, CONN BULLETIN 134, AUGUST, 1901. ENTOMOLOGICAL SERIES, No. 4 The New Law Concerning Insect Pests. The preceding entomological bulletins of this Station have been : Bulletin 121, The Elm-Leaf Beetle, The San Jose Scale ; Bulletin 126, Insecticides; Bulletin 129, Inspection and Care of Nursery Stock. Miscellaneous notes regarding insects will be found in the Report of this Station for 1889, and in each Report from 1893 to the present. CONTENTS. Page Officers and Staff of Station 2 The New Law Concerning Insect Pests 3 An Act Concerning Insect Pests 3 Announcement to Nurserymen _.r 5 CONNECTICUT ASBICULTUEAL EXPERIMENT STATION. OPFICEES -A-lsTID STAFF. STATE BOARD OF CONTROL. Ex officio. His Excellency George P. McLean, President. Appointed by Conneclictit State Agricultural Society : B. W. Collins, Meriden. Appointed by Board of Trustees of Wesley an University : Prof. W. O. Atwater, Middletown. Appointed by Governor and Senate : Edwin Hoyt, New Canaan. James H. Webb, Hamden. Appointed by Board of Agriculture : T. S. Gold, West Cornwall, Vice-President. Appointed by Governing Board of Sheffield Scientific School : W. H. Brewer, New Haven, Secretary and Treasurer. Ex officio. E. H. Jenkins, New Haven, Director. STATION STAFF. Chemists. E. H. Jenkins, Ph.D., Director. T. B. Osborne, Ph.D. A. L. Winton, Ph.B. A. W. Ogden, Ph.B. I. F. Harris, B.S. Botanist. William C. Sturgis, Ph.D. Assistant Botanist. James B. Rorer, M.A. Entomologist. W. E. Britton, B.S. In charge of Forestry Work. Walter Mulford, B.S. Grass Gardener. James B. Olcott, South Manchester. Stenographers and Clerks. Miss V. E. Cole. Miss L. M. Brautlecht. In charge of Buildings and Grounds. Charles J. Rice. Laboratory Helpers. Hugo Lange. William Pokrob. Sampling Agent. V. L. Churchill, New Haven. THE NEW LAW CONCERNING INSECT PESTS.* By W. E. Britton, State Entomologist. At the annual meeting of the Connecticut Pomological Society at Hartford, February 7th, 1901, resolutions were adopted call- ing attention to the destruction caused by the San Jose Scale and recommending that a law be enacted to protect the fruit interests of the State from this dreaded pest. A bill was intro- duced into the legislature and thoroughly discussed at a hearing before the joint committee on Agriculture on March 19th. The discussion led to the drafting of a substitute bill which met the views of the fruit growers represented and of the committee. This was passed on June 4th and approved by the Governor on June 10th. The text of the law is given below. The cooperation of all nurserymen and orchardists is earnestly solicited and is absolutely necessary in order to make the law effective for the object for which it was enacted. Chapter 122. AN ACT Concerning Insect Pests. Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened: Section i. The board of control of the Connecticut Agri- cultural Experiment Station, at New Haven, shall designate and appoint a man qualified by scientific training and practical experience to be state entomologist during the pleasure of the board, and to be responsible to said board for the performance of his duties as prescribed in this act. The state entomologist shall have an office at the Experiment Station in New Haven, but shall receive no compensation other than his regular salary * Under this law the Board of Control of the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station has appointed Mr. Wilton E. Britton, one of the Station staff, to be State Entomologist. — E. H. Jenkins, Director. 4 CONNECTICUT EXPERIMENT STATION, BULLETIN I34. as a member of the station staff. He may appoint such number of deputies, not exceeding three, as he may deem necessary or expedient. Sec. 2. It shall be the duty of the state entomologist, either personally or through his deputies, to visit any orchard, field, garden, nursery, or store-house, upon the request of the owner, to advise treatment against pests. He may inspect any orchard, field, or garden, in public or private grounds, which he may know or have reason to suspect is infested with San Jose scale or any other serious pests; may from time to time issue such circulars and bulletins as in his judgment are needed to convey information about pests, which publications may be issued as bulletins of the said experiment station ; may also conduct such experiments and investigations regarding injurious insects as will tend toward a better understanding of them and the reme- dies for their attacks; may diffuse such information by means of correspondence, lectures, and published matter; and may employ such assistance in his office, laboratory, or in the field, and purchase such apparatus and supplies as he may deem necessary for the successful prosecution of his duties. He shah keep a detailed account of expenses and shall publish each year a report of such expenses, and of the work done under this act. Sec. 3. All nursery stock shipped into the state from some other state, country, or province, shall bear on each box or package a certificate that the contents of said box or package have been inspected by a state or government officer and that said contents appear to be free from all dangerous insects or diseases. In case nursery stock is brought within the state without such a certificate, the consignee may return it to the consignor at the latter's expense, or may call the state entomol- ogist to inspect the same and deduct the costs of such inspec- tion from the consignor's bill for such stock. This section shall be deemed to be a part of every contract made in this state for the sale of nursery stock to be shipped into this state. Sec 4. All nurseries or places in the state where nursery stock is grown, sold, or offered for sale, shall be inspected at least once a year by the state entomologist or one of his depu- ties, and if no serious pests are found, a certificate to that effect may be given. If such pests are found, the owner shall take such measures to suppress the same as the state entomologist ANNOUNCEMENT TO NURSERYMEN. 5 shall prescribe. If such measures are not immediately taken by the owner of such nursery or place, such certificate shall be withheld, and any nurseryman who does not hold such a certifi- cate after the first annual inspection as herein prescribed, who shall sell or otherwise dispose of nursery stock in the state, shall be fined not more than fifty dollars. The form of certificate as well as the season for inspecting nurseries may be determined by the state entomologist. The state entomologist or any of his deputies shall at all times have the right to enter any public or private grounds in the performance of any duty required by this act. Sec. 5. The sum of three thousand dollars annually for two years is hereby appropriated for carrying out the provisions of this act, and the comptroller is hereby directed to draw his orders therefor quarterly on the treasurer in favor of the treas- urer of the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, who shall hold the same subject to the order of the state entomologist. Sec. 6. This act shall take effect July i, 1901. Approved June 10, 1901. ANNOUNCEMENT TO NURSERYMEN. After the first inspection every nurseryman is required by the law, Section 4, to have a certificate from the State Entomologist before selling nursery stock within the State, under penalty of fifty dollars fine. The State Entomologist will endeavor to inspect either per- sonally or through his deputies, every nursery in Connecticut during September and October, and before the shipping season begins. While most of the nurserymen are known to the writer, there are several who have never called for an inspection of their stock. In order that this work may be done as promptly and economically as possible, each nurseryman should register his address at once with the State Entomologist. The State Entomologist will visit any orchard, field, garden, nursery, storehouse, or greenhouse in the State, as the law provides, to investigate or give information about any insect attacks. Specimens received by mail will be identified, and such information regarding their habits and possible remedial treat- ment as may be of value will be returned to the writer. 6 CONNECTICUT EXPERIMENT STATION, BULLETIN 1 34. Insects sent by mail should be enclosed in a strong tin, wooden or paste-board box, which will not be crushed in transit. If possible a dozen specimens should be forwarded and if alive some of their food plant should be enclosed with them. It is unnecessary to punch holes in the box, for most insects can get all the air they need without this precaution. University of Connecticut Libraries 39153029220938 .%&*# m SKSvs mm* BWUlwWiWWiliiw'i rfilllMlmil'flwlii . ' ■" ' - ■- ■ t* I ' ■ S&«i ■ '.''■'''• ■'■-■•..■>■:•"■'"/ igjSI ■. •-, " ■■ '.'•«..•',.'■'. «#* $$£ -.'-■'»■•■ vr;«v-: ■■.•••■■.,'■■''•.;. $Mi|$§8S ■■.>'...:;■;■ .■■.-:'.■. If '-■'■"■■;;■■■■'■■■ ■•■?'.'■■■'■■ < ■, ; '. s1 "A ■■. - *. •,■'.■.-..•..•<• , ■■•■\'- ''t: 'sv »■■*'.•."■'' •,■"'•■'■ ''-v-', :■■■■":■■■ !:'. ;.■■■■' ■■o, •-.