The herald., 1893-08-27
The Lethargic Supervisors and
e,,. the Orchardists.
A. Presentation of the Bug -Fumiga-
Stsn tion Controversy.
me Treatment Of the Orcus Chsly beus,
Several Points That Have Been
Dom monstrated-Whst the
Board Has Done.

the HERALD has forgotten the little orcus
chaly beus or its relatives in the same
family, nor the shabby treatment which
the little stranger has received at the
hands Of those whose interests should
have prompted something better, to say
nothing OF the duty imposed In consid-
Grafton of good salaries. The first en-
listment was for the whole war.
These Investigations will probably
continue until those in authority, whose
duty it 10, shall bestir themselves and
start an investigation that will deter
mine what the trouble is and who it is.
that stands in the way Of thorough
and intelligent cleaning out of all in
sect pests and other enemies as we'll.
Men who had invested their all in
orange groves and fruit orchards years
ago. and had faced bankruptcy when
the white cottony cushion scale wrought
ruin everywhere. feel and express salts
faction st the thorough work accom-
plished by the vedalia cardinals, intro
.uced by the state board of horticulture,
and are not In the humor to appreciate
much nonsense, If the trifling which
prevents this new predaceous import
from doing its whole work unhampered
continues much longer. The danger
impending threatens every citrus and
deciduous tree in Southern California
% much ~ did the cottony scale, and
requires thorough work to overcome 1t.
1t was hoped that the county super.
visors, ct their meeting on Monday last,
would take the initiative measures
which would result in good for the
future and an assurance Of active work
and hearty cooperation, but they
seemed content with an effort to find
out from Mr.: Alexander Craw. entomol-
ogist Of the state board of horticulture,
II he had any enmity against or i'll feel
ing toward County Horticultural Com
missioner Scott. When it was shown
conclusively that Mr.. Craw had no
such feeling, no further action seemed
necessary. No action seemed required
either on the petition fled by the Ver-
non fruit growers, who showed the ex-
istence Of the purple scale that has 80
far been unmolested by inspectors or
commissioners.
Valuable time is being frittered away
9loep. But 1t 10 hoped the supe.,-, w., ~,
VIII yet start an investigation going.
The fruit growing industry cannot be
ignored wholly. No man can tell what
. vast amount of money has been az
pended in Los Angeles county alone to
stamp out the scale, irrespective OF ssla-
ries and washes and tents and spraying
epparatus furnished at public charge.
ltshas been placed at round million NJ
Qollers, and fruit growers do not wish IN
g. this over again in the same way.
~ Il 10 believed that some maleyolent
mauence 10 at the bottom OF some of
Mose things, and that little probing
will uneartb 1t.
. Tho HERALD, in an earnest effort IN
benefit fruit growers and further the in
teresfs OF that peerless industry. has dug
mp and demonstrated facts substantiallv
az follows:
First-That spraying and fumiratins.
In addition to involving hard labor
costs from 20 cents to 81 per tree, and
shat y ie necessary to do it twice year.
Second-That the black, red and vel. |
low scale does not decrease from the
effect OF spraying and fumigating, it be-
ang only neld in check for brief time.
uhifc--fhat spraying and fumigatina
~in, tnAt means is alone relied on, /
Fourth--That it is a nettled hal;af
that interested influences are combined
to continue the use Of fumes and washes
eFifth-.That the ex pense TO Los ngeies
county was about $4,000 for thu vasr
1892 to keep up this business for which
there was absolutely no return.
6ixth--That the great mass of fruit.
growers are getting weary Of this thing.
paying taxes to maintain an expensive
and useless commission and an immense
,um to keep orchards clean.
Seventh-That the state board OF hor.
'iculture has used every effort which
Educated. scientific men could devise to
discover and propagate an insect enemy
Eighth-That q predaceous parasite
the orcus chaly bens has been found
md introduced, which encourages the
,eliet that the true enemy of these de-
tructtve scales has been discovered
which will entirely eradicate them if ,
,rotected.
Ninth-That the expense of this in.
'eetigation was borne by the state and
lot by the county. {
Ienth-That number of men. not
ruit'growers, appear to have combined {
rom motives Of jealousy and self-inter-
st from the very first hour to throw oh
tscles IN the way Of the steel blue lady. !
irds to discredit its work and prevent |;
10 increase.
Eleventh That these men have Nor. !
lstently published all over the state !
he failure Of this lady ybird. :
-Iwelfth-That these same men. bv .
leans Of . petition to the legislature. :
esenteQ an appropriation to enable the /;
lste poard to continue its intelligent :
'srch Ar Tor predaceous insects. =
Ihirteenth-That these petitions were T
OF signed by fruit-growera in any nnm- =
y, put by people wholly Ignorant of
70 matter, or what was intended. manv 4
anstu5es being obtained under false 4 !,
Fogrteenth-That the petitions were ! !
rcuiated by commissioners and in :,
'ectors IN Southern California while :, p
nasf pay from the counties, employed = :,
I other work. r'' ~ :,
1Aiteenth- THAT these commissioner X
e inspectors neglected their leeiti- r,
a19 business to circulate these peti- :,
3ne H wave claiming and receiving pav. =;
6lxteenth-That other petitions have =
Gently been circulated by the same
4,
~ 81 Is n