Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-08-19
THE CuRCuLIo NOT IN CALIFORNIA.

SAN FRANCISCO, August Is, 1889
b. ~ LelOng, Secretary State Board of Horticltlt-
UTe, San francisco, CaL.-DEAR SIR: In accord
ance with your Executive Committees order
No. g. directing me TO Immediately proceed to
Los Angeles and there make thorough in
vestigation and find out, II possible, Il the
Eastern plum curculio is to be found at that
place. II found, to enforce the law to the full.
est extent, and cause all infected fruit to be
destroyed"
second-Also to investigate as to the parasites
that have been reported as destroying the per.
nicious scale insects in that section, and, If
found, to secure cuttings, twigs etc, for Cistri-
button from this Office.
Third-To consult and advise with the County
horticultural Commissioners about methods of
distributing the vedolia, spraying, etc.
In compliance with said instructions, beg to
report that left San Francisco August 4th ar
rived in Los Angeles the next day, and worked
there until the 18th, returning here to-day the
18th Of August.
At Los Angeles secured the cooperation of
the County Horticultural Commissioners and
their inspectors, the assistance and advice of
Professor d. w. Coquillet, Alexander Craw, and
Colonel J. +. Dobbins, the last named gentleman
having been appofn ed my deputy through your
cons mt and advice. A systematic inspection
was made of all iTuit-stands and orchards as far
as possible in the limited time for the curculio
and until was satisfied that no curculio existed
in Los Angeles.
am indebted TO George Compere for inforna-
ton that seems 10 give clew TO the starting of
the report that has been published throughout
the tate that curculio was TO be found in Los
Angeles The tactsare es follows:
STARTING OF THE REPORT.
A party from the north, during an inspection
tour in Los Angeles, was taken by George Com
pere to his father, 7. CcmpeTe's nursery. where
scale, apparently new, was to be found on an
imported japanese palm. received lately from
san Francisco; also a bug that was eating the
leaves of plants and especially destructive to
the flowers of the marigold. P. Compere in
formed him that the bug was the curculio that
he knew it well. During our visit Mr. Copnpere
still said il was curculio
From this statement have no doubt the story
got abroad, as Mr. Compere has kept the bug
story to himself, not wishing to be annoyed by
the County Inspectors. We caught quite a num-
Der of bugs, male and female (Cofnpere's cor
culiol, ana / submitted them 10 Professor Co.
outlet, who made careful study and exami-
nation, comparing them with named specimens
and with reports and plates published by the
chronological Department at Washington; he
fully identified the specimens as Fullers rose
beetle AruniglLs Fltlieri.
A full description with plates of this beetle
can be found IN Department Of Agriculture Re-
ports for 1873 also submit specimens of the
beetle. This II seems to me, Is the story of the
curcuiio. and am satisfied that no plum cur
cuiO exists in Los Angeles.
PARASITE OF THE SCALE.
As to the AphetiRas htscpennis, q parasite of
the pernicious (sau JOSEF scale beg 10 report
that secured the services of Professor Coauil-
lett, a scientific entomologist, and Colonel Dob
bins and visited the district that was said to
have been nd of the pernicious scale by this
parasite aphelinus. The orchard is the property
OF Mr.. Cass, located on Rat Jefferson street
Los Angeles. This orchard had been reported
as badly infected with the pernicioGS scale and
later on as having become comparatively free
from the scale, and that the trees that had al
most reached deaths door had revived, and
were almost as good as new.
The parasite was found to exist in great num-
bers and the full credit of freeing the trees was
given 10 this parasite. Be that as il may we
found the trees in this orchard sill injected
and appearances of the spread OF the SCALE asd
sitter dnigent search found only one live
Aphetaus. We, however, secured box of cut
tlngs where the scale seemed affected, and Col.
Dobolns viii undertake 10 propagate colonies
on the orchard of Judge Gardner and il Is to be
hoped that in a few months he will he able to
furnish said parasites to all who want them
wish To say, however, that the ApAeifnus is
not a new parasite, as il was found in San Jose
ten years ago, and full description of il can be
found as then described on page $50, Agricul;-
ural Report for 1880, The horticultural Com
mission of Los Angeles county found To be an
active working board, with corps of intelIi-
gent inspectors, all, as far as could determine
in my short visit, doing their work well and
conscientiously.
They are distributing the veeolia, and II viii
not be nc any days before every orchard in Los
Angeles county that is infested with cottony
cusnion scale tIoeTya purchase will be supple d
with the yedolia The work of the yedolia has
been complete, and seems more like dream
than reality. Very respectfully submitted,
GEORGE RICE.
30 CUEcuLIo AT SACRAMENTO.
sAS FRANCISCO. August 9, 1889
B. " LeioRg, Sccrotary S0te Board 81 Horticult-
ure--DEAR SIR In your Executive Commit
tees instructions given In order No . I was
directed to go to Sacramentoand investigate the
runlor that the Eastern plum curcuifo had APP
peared there. The order received on the 5th
and arrived at sacramento or TIE 9Th.
Iexamined ali the fruitstands in the city
handling plums; interviewed all the growers,
dealers and shippers cou 4 find In the city and
went to the only orchard thought likely 10 ftd
anything Of this character and failed In fading
ANYTHING to stIhstantiate the statement that cur
culio was IN Sacramento or the surrounding
country.
cane back TO the city of San Francisco, in