The department shall examine and inspect, or cause to be examined and inspected, at least once in each year, at such time or times as it may determine, with or without notice to the nurseryman, all nurseries or establishments of all dealers in nursery stock and shall investigate the sources of nursery stock dealt in by dealers within the state, to ascertain whether the stock grown thereon or sold therefrom is free from dangerously injurious insects and from such as in its opinion are likely to become so when the stock is transplanted or set out into orchard, vineyard, field or garden; and every nurseryman within the state may demand that such inspection be made, in case his nursery has not been inspected prior to the first day of October in any year.

A fee may be charged to cover the cost of such inspection, and all fees collected under this section shall be paid into the state treasury, which fees are hereby appropriated to the department for use in carrying out the provisions of sections 4:7-15 to 4:7-35 of this title.