Los Angeles daily herald., 1884-11-20
THE INSECT PESTS.


Doctor J. r. chaplin, Of San jose. State I'm.
spector Of Fruit Pests OF the State Board Of
Horticulture, arrived IN the city on Tues
day, in the prosecution Of his oficial duties.
The Doctor has entered actively upon his
work, and has prepared for the readers Of
the HERALD the following report Of his OBJ
servations:
EDiToR HERALD. Being at this time in
your city ON an official visit TO the orchards
Of this locality. desire TO attract attention,
as publicly as may be, to the seriors condi
ton Of many Of the valuable orchards upon
which the favored residents Of your charm.
Ing city so largely depend for an Income and
future prosperity. II Is surely the case that,
in particular, the citrus Interest Is threat
ened with destruction. unless active meas
res are devised and carried into execution
stay the spread Of one Of the worst pests
ever known to horticulture Many OF the
citizens know TO what allnde, but far too
many do not realize the danger oyerhnnging
their interests. The white scale or rs
also known, cottony cushion scale. Is max
Ing most alarming Roadway In us progress
| through the orange groves OF this city For
several years Il has had foothold here, and
frequent attention has been called 70 It's
PRESENCE and destructive effects not alone
By myself but by others and since my visit
10 Infected orchards n year since. Il has
spread rapidly to many orange trees remote
/ from those first affected. have at this time
/ found It In numerous Localities where year
| since II was not to be seen. To illustrate, In
one Of the oldest aud largest orange groves
known the world over, counted upwards
| of dozen infested trees In only four rows,
and In q limited space. This orchard Of
300 Of the largest and, MS Is known, I'm.
mensely profitable trees, Will nssurcdly, In n
very few years, become utterly destroyed,
unless the owner becomes dlllgcnt In his
efforts TO conquer the scale.
In another near by, ON an avenue lined on
either side by row Of the largest tree,
numbering forty.six, | counted twenty.three
trees infested This pest found In the yery
hotbed OF It's infancy here to-day, and de
stroyed many trees. Many trees also are
dying, among them not only orange and
lemon, but English walnut, winter Nellis
pear and fig trees. II Is found also ON grape
Vines, which surely In this country OF the
grape, ought 10 alarm all engaged IN viticul-
| ture. Among the vegetables where II may be
| and melons Even the very weeds are s1y-
cred, In some places, mustard nettles, &c
| Now this must engage attention before the
| loss amounts to millions of dollars, which
Will certainly be the case II neglected too
long, and the business men of this city sui
| fer irreparable loss AS well, and not only
| this, but the reputation of this locality,
| so high throughout the world, Will become
valueless. Indeed, you clnnot picture too
clearly the Inevitable result 10 ci,riculture
and other branches of horticulture In South
ern California II the warning given, and
often repeated shall go unheeded, do not
| wish to alarm unnecessarily, but II Ia my
duty TO sound this warning Let this pest
be speedily destroyed by united action.