Los Angeles herald., 1891-09-03

brown head and black mandibles, will
a few short hairs scattered over the bod,
and head.
Before action was taken the importer
stated that they had been supplied with
a lower grade of cyanide of potassium
through the misunderstanding OF the
druggist; but the fact remains that
they used a quantity more than cuff.
cient to compensate for the deficiency in
strength, or in other words, they used
two and three parts of a so per cent.
cyanide OF potassium instead of go per
cent. grade, and as an indication that
TINS gas was effective upon other species
L have only to state that but once did
we find live specimens or eggs of the
purple scale. However, when this mat
ter was brought to our attention we de-
clded to postpone action until the i'm
porters had another opportunity to gas
with % per cent. of cyanide.
Alter they had oiled and repaired their
canvas double amount of this strong
cyanide was used, with the result that
the young shoots were injured. On the
expiration of the fourteen days granted,
we made another inspection, and after
looking through three half boxes of
trees and finding tree borers in each, we
then examined the large thinning
scales" and in the presence of their
foreman found live and healthy speci-
mems, which placed under the micro
scope, and they were examined by him,
also by Mr.. II. Meserve and others, and
acknowledged to be alive. The follow
ms, day we examined other boxes and
hnding more living thinning scales"
Mr.. Kercheval telegraphed the district
attorney to commence proceedings.
On August 21st, in company with
Commissioners Kercheval, we made an
other inspection and found live mining
scales;" also upon trees in box car we
found live young and old "mealy bugs"
dactylopius citri, Comstock. This insect
was reported to me by Mr.. Meserve, Sr.,
as very troublesome to coffee trees upon
the island OF Tahiti.
On August 22d the injunction restrain
ing Meserve q Sons from moving the
trees came up before Judge Shaw in de-
partment five of the superior court, and
after the testimony was all given argu-
ments were set for Monday, the 24th. :.
. x .Nk-S~ No
After the testimony had been SUBJ
mltted to the court, Judge Shaw rem
dered his decision to the effect that the
trees must remain in quarantine at San
Pedro until the owners can prove that
they are clean. am fully convinced
from his remarks on the bench that he
is not disposed to take any risks or that
the experience of the past with the red
and white scales should be repeated.
From the location of the trees at San
Pedro am satisfied there is no danger
OF infection from the scale pests. The
only cause for alarm would be the de-
velopment of the borers to the winged |
form, for when this takes place the re-
moval of the trees would not be neces-
sary to spread this pest.
The following is list of the scales |
found upon the shipment: Mytilaspis
purple scale; lecanium hes
peridum, soft brown scale; aspidiotus
rapax, greedy scale: aspidiotus sp. like |
ficus, a small circular black scale; aspi- |
diotus limoni, fat circular scale like the |
red; parlatoria, species of chaff scale;
dactylopius citri, species of mealy
bug; chionaspis biclavis, mining scale.
Also an undeveloped borer, probably an
aegeria.