The record-union., 1891-12-29
VALUABLE BUGS.
Introducing Foreign Orchard Pest
DeStr0yerS.
Millions to Be Saved to the state-Pro-
lessor Koebele Has Found Beetles
in Australia and New Zealand That
VIII Prey on All Scales.

looking set OF boxes and talked learneuly
of bugs. There were bugs in boxes, bugs
on the tables, bugs on chairs, bugs in the
air and bugs everywhere about the place.
In all there were about 5000 beetles, and
of that number between 200 and 300 were
alive. THOSE insects" said Mr.. Lelong,
''I confidently believe will be worth over
$40, 900 600 to the State"
When the Australian ship Monowai ar
rived on Christmas she had on board the
consignment of little insects that are ex-
pected to do so much good to the State.
They had made the trip in the ice chest to
keep them dormant, Mr.. Lelong ex-
planned. They were Immediately taken
10 the State Board of Horticulture and
were sent off, after careful examination,
to be coloniZed in Los Angeles. They
were sent here by Professor Albert koe-
belle, who went to Australia, New Lea-
land and adjacent countries as the ac-
credited agent of the Department of Ag-
riculture and of the State Board of Horti-
culture to search for predaceous and par
asitic insects.
Professor Koebele discovered the vi
dalia about three years ago, and their in
PRODUCTION into the orchards of the State
has meant profit to countless millions.
With his present shipment he sends
positive assurance that the beetles will be
found all that is necessary TO destroy the
dangerous insects of the State. If he be
correct in his estimation of their value,
then the bugs that came upon the Mono
wal will represent by far the most impor-
tant event in the horticultural event of
California. He considers them more
valuable even than the vidalia.
There are representatives of thirty spe-
cies Of beetles sent in the last lot. They
are all new to the State, and little is
known of tbpir habits other than the brief
statement Of their usefulness written by
Professor Rochelle. They are fatal to the
pests of all citrus and deciduous fruits,
apples, prunes, pears, peaches, oranges,
and in fact almost every fruit that grows
in the State. One OF the greatest prob
sems in the mission Of Professor Koebele
was the discovery of some destroyer of
the red scale. He thinks that among the
insects which the officers eff the Board of
Horticulture inspected so enthusiastically
yesterday viii be found the desired de-
strover. So confident is he in his opinion
that he declares he will not return TO the
United States until the arrivals prove to
be all that he has claimed for them.
Late yesterday afternoon the boxes
were carefully repacked and forwarded to
Professor ID. w. Coquillett, the special
agent Of the Agricultural Department at
Los Angeles. lie will endeavor to col
onize the insects preparatory to their dis
tribution among the orchards. Tents Will
be put over the trees on which they are to
be placed. As soon as they show signs Of
activity and life they will be placed free
i'll the orchards of the county.
The State Legislature as its last session
appropriated $1,000 for the Investigations
now in progress. That the investment
will save millions of dollars there can be
no doubt. Professor koebele is now in
New Zealand. His Investigations take
him to many islands in the south Seas,
hafp /, n l1n to n1lth
Africa. He viii be kept at work as long
as the appropriation will permit. 1t is
expected that he will be away at least two
years.
a short while ago he sent 1000 bugs
similar to those received on Christmas.
Out of that number only twenty-eight
lived, but they multiply with marvellous
rapidity. Neither lot will show much re-
suit until warmer weather sets in. Then
the value of the bugs will be definitely
known.
Secretary Lelong gave detailed ac-
count of the insects yesterday with de-
tailed statement of fheir particular use
tulness. THE readers of the Chronicle"
he said, will remember that only a
month ago we gave tull account of pre-
daceous insects received from Professor
Albert Koebele. In the consignment re-
ceived yesterday thirty species are repre-
scented, and in a letter TO me Professor
Koebele says that he has been very sue
cessful in his researches, and has, he is
sure, discovered the insects that destroy
the red, black and brown scales which
have caused the fruiU-growers no little
uneasiness and have been great menace
to the successful production Of several
kinds of fruits.
1T is only about three years ago that
The vidalia cardinals, the insect that ex-
terminated the cottony cushion scale, was
introduced. It gave citrus culture an
liynsat 1.aNo
for the production of citrus fruits this
year in California was the largest ever
known in the State. 1t was all due to the
wonderful insect, the vidalia. 1t is hoped
that the insects now being introduced
will prove equally as beneficial in eradi
eating the many orchard pests that trouble
the different fruits.
The following is list Of those re-
ceived on Christmasday: Chayptoloema,
feeding on mealy bugs from Toomomba;
coccinellede, feeding on the red scale
from Paramatta; coccinellid8, new spe-
cies of vidalia, feeding on the red scale at
Paramatta; coccinella feeding on lecani-
mus and mealy bugs at poomomba;
scymnids, feeding on the red scale at
Sydney; coccinellidae, feeding on woolly
aphis at Toomomba; coccinellid9, feed
ing on cocids at Brisbane; coccinellidfe,
feeding upon red and white scales at
Toomomba; coccinellidR, feeding upon
aphis; coccinellidae, feeding chiefly upon
the red scale; orcus calylecus, feeding
upon red scale at Paramatta; coccinelidse,
feeding chiefly upon chryptocma; orcus
scymnid, feeding on red scale at Para
malta; coccinellids, preying on cabbage
aphis; scymnids, preying on lecanimus
and mealy bugs from Toomomba; orcus
calyleesus and orcuS Australasia, feeding
upon red scale at Paramatta: talpochares
coceiphagu, preying on black and brown
scales at Paramatta; thalpochares and
eriococsus paramatta, feeding on lecani-
mus
The result of the introduction of the
vidalia, the most important Of Professor
Koebele's discoveries, has been extraor-
binary, as may be seen from the statistics
regarding the shipment of oranges from
the southern counties of the State. The
cottony scale has not yet made its APP
pearance In San Bernardino County. In
1880 there were shipped from that county
1.105 carloads of oranges. This year there
were los. a gain of only three carloads.
The figures may represent the natural
output of the county. The cottony scale
had made, however, an extensive home
in Los Angeles County. In 1890 the ship
ment of oranges was Isl carloads. Then
the vidalia was introduced, and this year
the shipment was 2,2l2 carloads, a mar
velous gain, due only to the pest-destroy-
ing insect.-San Francisco Chronicle, De-
cember 9th.
SOCIAL AND PERSONAL