Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-10-16
THE AUSTRALIAN BUG.
The White C.ottony Cushion Scale in sa
ralnento, hut III Is To he Externlinat ed

J On Monday last the City Board OF
Trustees called a meeting for last night, at
the Courthouse, to consider the question
of the danger that existed in this city OF
all the fruit trees, flowers and shrubs being
destroyed by what is called the ''cottony
cushion scale" The meeting was largely
attended, and its proceedings were entered
into with spirit that plainly showed that
the citizens of Sacramento were fully
aware of the danger that threatened every
form of vegetation, not only i'll the city but
the county as well. The meeting was
called to order by Mayor Brown, and upon
his motion j. Z. Watson was elected Chair
man, and a newspaper reporter who was
present was selected as Secretary.
In assuming the duties of the chair, Mr..
Watson said he was pleased to see so many
of Sacramento's best citizens present. The
object of the meeting, he stated, was one
that should interest every one who had the
interest of Sacramento at heart. Many, he
said, could not realize
THE MAGNITUDE OF THE DESTRUCTION
To all kinds of vegetation that was threat
ened by the cottony cushion scale. 1t was
now in its infancy in this locality; it could
be destroyed before it acquired age, but
once given a footing. all the beautiful
orchards, orange groves, flower gardens and
shade trees, the pride OF Sacramento, were
doomed to destruction He said in his
own yard he had number of orange trees,
old and large of growth, that were bearing,
but they had become infected with the pest,
and as much as he disliked to do so, he had
cut them all down and burned them in or
der that the pest should not get into his
neighbors' yards and work further destruc-
ton.
Matthew Cooke, ex-Chief State Horh-
cultural Officer, who was present, was
called upon to state to the meeting what
he knew of the pest. He said that there
was never anything that threatened greater
destruction to property in this locality than
that of the bug in question. The scale
was unknown in this State until 1881. 1t
came to America for the first time from
half dozen orange trees imported from
Australia. Two of the trees went to Santa
Barbara, two to Los Angeles, and the other
two to places in the southern part of the
| State,
WHERE THE ORANGE Is THEIR PRIDE
| w. W Stow, when he imported those trees,
was not aware of the disease that chung to
their foliage, and never dreamed that the
| importation would cost this State untold
| thousands TO combat an evil which before
that was separated by an ocean. The pest
came, it is here; the bugs are prolific, so far
as reproduction is concerned each female
laying 400 eggs at time, and the only
| remedy IS to exterminate them before thev
get a footing that renders determination
| impossible The scale apparently prefers
lemon and orange trees, but it takes kindly
TO all kind of vegetation, even destroys the
grasses of our lawns. and strips the sturdy
oak of its foliage. Mr. Cooke read the fol-
! lowing from the Rurdi Press of October
10th in relation to a meeting in Los An
geles:
| On Saturday evening meeting of some fifty
orchardists was held in the call-room of the
| Produce Exchange for the purpose of discussing
and taking action on the white scale question.
| j. DeBarth Shorb was selected as Chairman.
After a long discussion, during which the county
was appealed to to spend 500 900 fighting the
| scale, p. L. Washburn offered a resolution that
q committee OF five prominent fruit growers in
Guiding the Chair, be appointed to appeal to the
City Council and Board OF Supervisors for finan-
| cial aid and such changes in the ordinances rs
| might be necessary to enable the Commissioners
| to eradicate the white scale in this city and
| county, and take such other steps as are neces-
| Sary. The resolution was unanimously adopted.
| The following resolution was adopted unani-
mously:
Res0lred, That it is the sense of this meeting
that every dollar that can be proftably employed
/ in fighting the scale bug in this county should
| be appropriated freely and without stint by the
Board of Supervisors, and that our committee be
Mr.. Cooke said the Board of CITY Trus-
tees of Los Angeles and the Supervisors of
that county had passed ordinances regard
| ing the pest, and had in a great measure
checked lis ravages. He said that
SACRAMENTO HAD MANY TREES INFECTED
| With the scale, and exhibited branch of
an orange tree, the foliage of which was
! completely covered with the vermin. An
orange tree at the residence of Charles
| Croker, in this city. is badly infected as
are five in the yard Of Frank Foster, and
one at the residence of James Groth. at
Twelfth and l streets. Those were only
what had come under his notice, but he did
not doubt in the least but that a careful in
spection would show many such through
out the city. He said, in conclusion, that
he thought if the Trustees, or the citizens,
would spend about 5000, they could stamp
| out the pest in this locality. Allowed
| to run another year, and as many thou
sands could not do it, because it would by
that time assume proportions beyond con-
troll. He said the ivy plant, which is grown
| in almost every yard in this city, will in an
| other year be breeder of the pest as the
scale seems to be partial to that plant. The
only way to kill the vermin was to strip
| the tree of its branches, and then scrub the
bark with a solution of
wHALE-OIL SOAP, coAL-oIL AND BUHAcH.
Several other gentlemen present made
| remarks upon the subject, all agreeing that
it was a threatened evil that should at once
be met, and every effort to kill it out be
made.
Mayor Brown said he had listened to
| the remarks of Mr.. Watson and Mr.. Cooke,
he had also investigated the matter some
| what and had came to the conclusion that
II was matter of serious import and one
that should be dealt with promptly. Mr..
Jones, one of the Trustees, was present,
and they had consulted regarding the mat
ter and had concluded to ask Mr.. Cooke to
go ahead and do what he could toward
FREEING THE CITY OF THE DESTRUCTIVE
SCALE,
At least to the extent of 5000. which he
| had suggested was sufficient.
Mr.. Cooke, in reply said he was not look
! ing after employment of that kind, and
could not, taking the state of his health
into consideration, give the Trustees an
| answer before Monday next
q. w. Chesley addressed the meeting at
| length, and insisted that something should
| be done in the matter, and that immedi-
ately. He offered the following resolu-
ton which was unanimously adopted:
WHEREAS, At a meeting of the citizens of Sac
ramento, held in the Courthouse on the even
/
| providing some measure to prevent the spread
of the white cottony cushion scale,.it was
| ReS0l'ed, That we recognize the fact that the
white cottony cushion scale, which has proved
so destructive in other localities, has put in an
| appearance in this city. and the utter destruc-
| ton of our orchards, shade trees flower gardens
and in fact every form of vegetable growth is
| threatened with utter humiliation Relieving
and knowing that it is for the interest of the
| entire people that its spread should be checked
II is the sense of this public assenblage that the
Board OF City trustees be requested to use every
means in their power to eradicate the evil and
quarantine against its spread as much as pos
! sible. We also recommend that the Board of
| Trustees appoint proper person to make an
immediate inspection and report as soon as pos
| sible.
Mayor Brown and Trustee Jones both
addressed the meeting, and were enthusi-
astic in the movement.
! THE BLooD-HoRsE MEETING-The Sec
rotary of the meeting held here Wednesday
night to consult as to measures 10 be taken
to secure the holding of the Blood Horse
Associations meeting in Sacramento next
month, telegraphed TO San Francisco last