Los Angeles herald., 1892-07-16
LETTER BAG.
Collins on Leleng.

EDITORS HERALD: 1 would not ask
space to replay to Mr.. Lelong's letter
which appeared in your columns of the
Sth inst, and to which my attention
has been called, were it not that some Of
his misstatements Che makes no argu-
ments) may leave wrong impressions
if uncontradicted. fret want to thank
him for his noble example OF veracity
and forbearance.
have no personal criticism to make
of him or of the members of the state
board. They have done and are doing
good work for the state. (Others
throughout the state are assisting in it
and should have credit) Their annual
reports reflect great credit on them as
we'll as on the state they serve. But SO
long as they perform the functions OF a
department of our state government
their official acts are open to criticism,
and / propose to exercise that right
whenever / think the circumstances
Justify it, and always in friendly spirit.
] trust he may not return to San Fran
cisco from his fence-building trip to Los
Angeles with the idea that l am can
didate for the position he occupies. l
assure him have no such aspiration.
IlC Says L all bnC Olliy
commissioner who has opposed the in
PRODUCTION of parasites. Now, if the
other horticultural com missioners OF the
southern counties have correctly in
formed me, and / believe they have, ior
they have repeatedly expressed them
selves in our meetings, Mr.. Lelong has
received letters from more than one of
them similar to my impertinent one.
So far from opposing this work, the ne
cessity of further and persistent search
for parasites that would be to the other
scale insects what the vedalia has proved
to the icerya, has been often urged on
the state board. We have, however,
protested without avail against the pub
lication of items, emanating from his
Office, setting forth the wonderful work
each Importation is going to accomplish
against certain of our pests. We only
ask that these positive statements, pre-
dicated on much hoped for ultimate re-
suits, be withheld until the parasite has
been acclimated and propagated suffi-
ciently long to prove its fecundity and
voracity in its new field of operations
beyond question. Then it will be found,
as with the vedalia, the horticultural
commissioners will render every assist
ance in their care and distribution. We
do not object to publication OF
their life history and their accomplish
ments in other climes. We join sim
cerely in the hope that they may be as
successful here. This is all there is in
his charge. III he possessed any spirit
of fairness he would havequoted further
from my letter, wherein l use substan-
TALLY the above language; but it didn't
suit his purpose.
However, he strongly condemns par
agraph which appeared in i think the
San Francisco papers recently, to the
effect that it was feared the dreaded
yellows had gained foothold in the
state" as very damaging to the fruit
growers interests. say that any such
item, tending to warn fruit growers
against the purchase of eastern grown
trees subject to the yellows, etc., is
much less harmful than items which
tend to and do hinder and paralyze the
good work being done by the horticul-
tural commission.
Professor Coquillett propagated and
distributed the vedalia. Did he not
make success of it? The parasites re-
ceived from Koebele and placed in his
care last autumn, he says, are not prom
ising large practicalresults; as compared
with the vedalia they are not success.
While they destroy some scale, they do
not multiply rapidly and their mode of
attack is such as to lead him to think
that they will prove of little
if any more value than those we
look upon as natives. Let us hope fur
ther time may develop better results.
In six months from their colonization
the Vedalia had cleaned out the Icerya
from hundreds, perhaps thousands of
trees. These Professor Coquillett has
charge of, have as yet given no indica-
tion of such prodigious appetites as the
vedalia possess. Yet Mr.. Lelong says:
"We know BETTER" reminding one of
the ostrich in the II Know Alp song,
in the Merry Monarch.
1 do not know whether or not he
speaks of the same parasites or of later
importations, specimens of which he
distributed in Orange county, ignoring
Professor Coquillett and implying his
incompetency taken in connection with
his 81 know it al" statement. But it
happens resident of Santa Ana was
recently in Mr.. Lelong's Office, and the
statement was there made to him in
reference to the work of the parasites,
substantially the same as Professor Co.
quillett gives his experiences.
Thanking you for your space, I am
yours truly, w. E. COLLINS.
Ontario, GAL, July 18th.
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