Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-03-30
COTTONY SCALE.
THE INSECT DESTROYER OF OUR
SHRUBS AND TREES.
The Efforts and Methods Necessary
to Work Their Final Extermi-
nation-Shall it be Done?

ample evidence that the white cottony
cushion scale, which has fastened itself
upon sections of the city, is still there and
asserting itself in most positive and
alarming manner. 1t is very evident that
if Sacramento is to get rid of this worst of
all pests and scourges, more systematic
work and determined efforts will have to
be adopted and vigorously pushed.
In answer to a communication from the
RECORD UNION concerning the work of ex-
terminating the cottony cushion scale at
Los Angeles, where the authorities and
people have been waging warfare more or
less active for some time, A. F. Kercheval
the well-known horticulturist, writes as
follows:
We have had some very costly expert
ence and failures in that direction. | will
give you my own ideas, derived from facts
learned during long and somewhat varied
observation of the ravages of the terrible
Icerya purchase or white scale.
In the first place | am positively con-
WINGED that our California ants-at least
those of the southern part of the State-are
in no wise the enemies or destroyers of the
cottony cushion or any other species ofscale,
IN which opinion / am confirmed by the
observations of numbers of our Oldest and
most experienced horticulturists; among
Others L. a. Carey, our eminent nurseryman
and pomologist who first had the misfortune
to innocently introduce them into Los
Angeles county by importation from Aus
tralia, as supposed. Both the black and
white scale exude a swedish, sticky sub
stance. of which the ants are extremely
fond, and whenever trees in an orange
grove are most thickly colonized by the
bugs there the ants may be seen in greatest
numbers, ceaselessly running up and down
all day long, but no oiminution occurs ap-
parenuy in the ranks of the insects.
Fifteen years ago first noticed on some
of my orange trees affected by the black
scale-which is not specially injurious
ants AT work amongst them, and both scale
and ant appear to occupy the same relative
position in regard to each other now as
then, and TO live on the most friendly
terms; and the same may be said of the
white scale also AS for other insect ene-
mics of the pest, it is believed that certain
species of the lacy bug prey upon them TO
limited extent, and Colonel G. Butler
Griffin, of this city, expresses the belief
that he has discovered formidable ex-
terminator in the shape of new and
hitherto unknown fly, with reddish head
and somewhat larger than the common
house-tiy, and in certain cases they seem
to be diminishing, or perishing through
some mysterious operation of the laws of
nature; but it may safely be said that if
your citizens are wise they viii not wait
for nature or Providence to come to their
relief, but proceed at once to wage a
most vigorous and relentless war of exter-
mination by every known means of labor
and science against the fell destroyer of all
that is most beautiful and attractive in
their favored homes.
In the light of our own experience will
now venture to offer some opinions and
suggestions for the consideration of your
people, in order that they may enter into
contest with the pest with any reasonable
assurance of triumph and success. Do not
enter into IL at all unless you are fully pre-
pared to make a large sacrifice of labor,
time and money, and considerable sacri-
ice of cherished trees. vines, and shrubbery
as well. Do not enter into it at all unless
your City Board of Trustees can and does
pass ordinances that cannot be Gefied by
any person, rich or poor, or be picked to
pieces by any lawyer, or set aside by any
Court. 4ou will be sure to have some
amongst you who will try, by legal quib-
-
ton OF such ordinances, but have them re-
lentiessly enforced as martial law in time
of war, and boycott anyone both socially
and in business that attempts to obstruct
in any way their fullest enforcement.
Next, select some person thoroughly ia
miliar with the pest, thoroughly i'll earnest
one who is no respecter of persons-one
who can neither be bribed nor bulldozed
invest him with supreme authority to do
or order anything done, even to the total
destruction of infected trees and shrubbery,
and then hold him responsible for success
or failure Let him select his own deputies
and assistants and proceed to make a from
house TO house Interrogation, as in case of
cholera, yellow fever. or the deadly cpl
demic threatening the health and lives of a
whole community. AT least one careful
Jealous, public-spirited resident of each and
every block in your city should volunteer
Tree OF expense, to watch over and report
the condition of the trees and shrubberv in
the grounds OF every resident thereof
monthly, or oftener should the exigency re-
quire. Of course, provision must be made
by the authorities tor the eradication of the
pest along the streets, byways and seouest-
cred hooks and property of non-residents.
The common large nettle that grows SO
luxuriantly on all our low rich grounds is
a favorite breeding place for them also
various rank weeds and grasses in neglected
places IN the suburbs, and over all these
should be spread a coating of dry straw.
hay or tule, and thoroughly burned over.
afterward blowing and cul,ivating TO keep
down all vegetable growth Should the
willows along the American river be in
fected, they should all be cut down. and
when dry thoroughly burned over. and the
same remarks will apply to the western
bank of the Sacramento in Yolo county.
and also the eastern below the city.
Every badly infected shade-iree along
your streets should be cut down al once
and burned. and the tops of all Others
treated in like manner. Where shade trees
are entirely removed the pepper. which is
practically scale proof, can afterwsrd be
substituted, and as IL is the most beautiful
and hardy of all our shade.trees. the sub
sttution will hereafter be a great gain to
your city. Do not be afraid to cur back
every orange and lemon tree in vonr
grounds. They can then before starring.
be easily sprayed or drenched with an
emulsion extra strong which no living in
sect can withstand. and without injury to
the trunk. Cut off every limb. leaving
only the bare stubs u foot or two long. and
you will soon have more beautiful and
vigorous trees and finer fruit than ever
always surprising that You entjreiy eradi-
cate the scale. / would strongly recom-
mend that the tops of all trees, previous to
being so cut of, should be subjected TO
scorehing process by means of a kerosene
torch or other sudden flame. Probably
something like the patent torch carried in
political professions. giving forth an in
tense and sudden flash, and elevated by
means of long handle, would be
found quite effective in destroying
the pests, previous TO being shaken
of upon the ground, where they will
otherwise lie dormant until spring. when
they would hatch out and re-colonize the
trees and shrubbery. Roses of the climb
ing varieties, about houses and arbors.
ought to be thoroughly sprayed with kero-
sene previous 10 taking down. then cut off
and burned. All spraying commencing
with warm weather this spring should be
done simultaneously, or within the same
week, and should be repeated at least once
month during the season, or until the
pest is everywhere exterminated, and all
should use the same emulsion or wash
By working in unison upon some such
line as | have suggested, there is not the
slightest doubt of the ability of your citi-
zens to overcome the pest, and you will
surely reap reward of a hundred. field for
all labor and money so expended.
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