Los Angeles herald., 1891-12-27
THE RANCHES.
Typical Facts About Southern Cali
fornia Farms.

fruit growers, entomolegists and scien-
lists in the rooms of the horticultural
bureau few days ago, says the San
Francisco Call. The attraction was the
opening of number of wooden boxes
containing two new scale destroyers.
The consignment had been shipped on
the Mariposa by Albert Koebele, special
agent of the state in Australia.
1t is little more than four years ago
that Mr.. Koebele left San Francisco for
Australia for the purpose of hunting up
the record of parasite, said to be very
effective in clearing away the "oottony-
cushion SCALE" His Investigations led
him to capture and ship several colonies
of these parasites, the vedalia cardinals,
or Australian lady-bug. They were dis
tributed in the orchards at San Gabriel,
this state, and increased and multiplied
in a way that startled the importers. So
effectually did they do the work that the
''cottony cushion" scale was wiped out
and passed into history.
The red scale (amantis perniciosus)
still remained, and in vain was an effort
made to find its peculiar insect pest.
Finally, Koebele again set to work, and
he claims that success has again re-
warded his efforts. In a letter to Sec
retary Lelong, he says:
| send by this steamer (Mariposa) a
few thousand coccinellide of the various
species, and feeding on most of our
scales. The most numerous among
them will prove to be equally as valua-
BILE as the vedalia. 1t is the very thing
we want for the red scale, and | as
sure you it will make that scale Gun
happy"
Have three boxes full of eggs of same,
send one of these to you to place upon
trees infested with A. perniciosus, upon
which, without doubt, they will feed.
Also send you lot of leis conformis, as
well rs big box with eggs OF the same.
Place them in badly infested apple
orchard where the woolly aphis are nu-
merous. You will do best to separate
the eggs, as the young larvae after is-
suing begin to feed on the same, and so
will the matured insects. Please leave
all in one orchard.
Let me know how they arrive. !
have no doubt of failure in introduc-
ing them from this first lot, but l will
SSb duUCliCi, ccHulHS ny uSAb eIedIutT .
can assure you l feel very much
relieved with the success already OBJ
tanned. This enemy OF the red scale
has been the most difficult for me to
solve, and since this is done the rest
will be an easy matter, except that par
asite of the grasshopper, which think
does not exist except upon paper. But
we will see.
send SO many insects that there is
sufficient to stock about ten acres of or
chard to start with.
You will not see me in America be-
fore this lady bird orcas is introduced,
for am safe in saying this alone will
keep the red scale in check.
The very first effort of the experts at
the horticultural bureau will be to colo
nize the new importatons. They are
expected to colonize very fast like the
vedalia, which goes through all it's
changes in twenty-one days.
The "bugs" are coonized in large,
deep glass jars, CT the capacity of about
two gallons, and are fed their special
food, the scale to which they are para
sitical.
The two varieties of bugs are very dis
similar in appearance. The larger in
sect or red scale pest is generally sim
liar to the vedalia, and not unlike an
ordinary ladybird in appearance, color
and size. The other is much smaller,
of dark green color, with metallic
luster, and without any markings what
ever.
WILL NOT CoNsIGN.
The following is the pledge being
tsken by the Riverside orange growers ::
1--WE, the undersigned orange growers of
Riverside, CAL, hereby agree not to
consign or sell our fruit, except to those
who will enter into a combination to
maintain prices and regulate the
distribution OF fruit" Referring
to it the Press says: ''It looks now
as though the Earl company would
be able to control some 400
carloads, the Riverside orange trust
an equal amount, the Pachappa
organization fully 200 carloads,
Boyd & Silver, Strong & Co., johnson,
Mcleod and others, perhaps 300 more
1t is also understood that the Strong
company will filiate, and if so, about
three-fourths of the crop will unques-
tionabIy be in the combine, without
counting all the packers who will act in
entire sympathy with the movement.
The contract we print above will only
restrain the signer from selling his
fruit to such of the guerrllas among the
fruit men as refuse to be governed by
the rules of the association, for the pur-
pose of underselling its members"
NOTES.
The New York Comme, cial Bulletin
saye: "a Philadelphia firm, who mem
bers are not given to romsncing. writes
that California almonds have jumped
rapidly IN favor and are meeting enor-
NOUS sales. They are equal in flavor TO
the high priced French almonds
The horticultural inspectors in this
vicinity are going to make it interesting
for any one who violates the new law,
and imports peach trees from any place
outside of California. The object is to
protect our fruit-growers from the fatal
disease OF peach yellows. Orange trees
from Florida must be thoroughly treated
TO gas before they can be delivered. An
dealer in Tustin has big |
aw suit on his hands for violating this !
aw. He was getting too independent,
md had to be prosecuted.-[ Pomona |
Progress.
The San Diego Sun says that rumor
las gained credence among horticul-
urists that a cargo OF orange trees is
low on the way to San Diego from
Tahiti, consigned to Meserve Bros. of
oomona. "The scheme seems to be to
rave the schooner enter the port and
,ither smuggle the goods through or