Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1882-09-02
AGRICULTURAL.
MATTER PREPARED SPECIALLY FOE
TEE RECORD UNION
The Halt IN the Antf-Inssct Move-Bud-
ding Fruit Trees-Irrigating
Orange TreesEtc.

It is unfortunate that any bslk should have
been made in the execution of the law for the
protection of the fruit of the State from the
ravages OF insects. The refusal of promi-
pent fruit-deslipg and canning house at San
| Francisco to comply with the law and rules
of the Horticultural Commission-that all
! boxes in which fruit has bsen sent to market
shall be disinfsctsd before returning to pro-
ducers-has put one side of the fight against
| insect pests, and that an important side, back
an entire year. At the dJors of this house
will lay the responsibility of an immense loss
to the fruit-grovsrs OF the entire State.
Millions of codlirg moth will DO returned
from compassion houses and dealers in
the rsturn boxes that, had the
law been enforced without q hitch,
never should have seen daylight. and would
not If the laws could have been enforced and
the boxes disinfected before being returned.
These millions Of worms sent out into the
orchards will produce fifty millions fer every
million, and each one of these fifty millions
as it matches will do its best 90 ind an appla
or pear in which to burrow and destroy.
The decision of the Police Judge Of San
Francisco that the law is unconstitutional
can only BE- tested by an appeal to the
Superior Court, and ultimately to the
Supreme Court. The money necessary
TO carry on this appeal had to be raised by
subscription among ffuit-growers, and time
was required to concentrate an amount SUIT
ficient to even make the first move Then
when the question Is decided by the Superior
Court it may have to g. TO the
Supreme Court, and the whole year
will have passed snd been lost SO far
as checking the spread Of worms in the
return boxes. But the other side of the law,
the provision for having the trees scrape3 and
wrapped to catch the Goblin moth, and TO
have them washed with alkaline washes to
kill the scale bug, and to have them sprayed
with sulphur and whale oil soap, to prevent
the mildeg and TO secure weli-f0rmsd end
good. sized fruit-these provisions Of the
law have been moro fully carried out, and IS
a re suit public coufdenss has been restored
in the fruis growing business. TIE effect of
the enforcement of this side of tbs law has
been to produce fruit freer Of worms, fraer of
mildew, and Of more perfect form /; and
these improvements have restored public
confidence in the fruit business TO an extent
| to greatly enhance lands in good localities
suitable for fruit cul ure. As proof that
such lands have been enhanced in value, we
will cite "a circumstance: One hundred acres
of land in Santa Clara county year ago was
selected by an expert and recommended to a
gentleman who was then contenp plating going
| into the business of fruit culture. The price
at that time was $45 per acre. Scmething
occurred that delayed the purchase, and the
matter was dropped for a season. short
time since the proposed purchaser, being
ready to complete the purchase, called on the
owner and said he was ready to execute the
bargain they had talked of year since. The
| owner said "All right; am still ready to sell !;
| but have made up my mind that the dam
gers that threatened fTuit-growing year ago
can be averted / have gained confidence In
the possible successful future of the business,
| and l find that public opinion has gone
| through the sane change that.I have in
regard to the business, and I therefore shall
ask more for my land than I did q year
ago." "WeN, " said the proposed purchaser,
- am willing to give more than you asked
| then--a reasonable advance / can stand-Sut
how much advance do you want? | want now
| $40 per acre" Now, this may be an extreme
advance, but we think fruit lands have gen.
orally throughout the State advanced at least
| fifty per cent.