The herald., 1893-10-18
THE BLACK SCALE IS GOING
The Rhiz0bius Ventralis Doing
Fine Work.
Mr.. Alexander Craw Gives Some
Interesting Facts.
Plenty of Colonies Being Sent Out to
Horriculturists-r rhe Now Scale
Destroyer "a Pronounced
Success.

Mr.. Alexander Craw, quarantine
officer OF the state board of horticul-
ture, was in the city yesterday. having
just returned from visit to the ranch
OF Mr.. Ellwood Cooper at Santa Bar
bara, where he had been for several
days assisting in sending out colonies OF
the black scale enemy, the rhizobius
ventralis, otherwise the black ladybird.
Mr.. Craw was halted on the street by
a representative of the HERALD long
enough to get from him several points
of information in regard to the busy
little friend of the California fruit
growers. Mr.. Cooper's olive orchard
and nursery was a grand picnic ground
and breeding place for the little insect
which Professor Koebele sent over from
Australia, and they multiplied prodigi-
ously, and were as lively and Industrious
as the most ardent orchardist could
desire.
Mr.. Cooper made provision for sup
plying about 200 colonies. thinking that
about the limit of the demand, but
much to his surprise the demand did
not stop there, but up to Monday after
noon 500 colonies had been sent out in
answer to requests from all quarters,
and every mail had its quota Of applica-
tions still.
A large majority OF these beetles were
supplied to orchardsts in and around
Los Angeles, Azusa, Covina, Pomona
and Ontario, although they are we'll dis
tributed in all the counties of South
California, all the coast counties and up
in Trinity. They were all young, en-
ergetic and hungry, and went right to
business when liberated in a scale in
tested orchard.
The rhizobius ventralis has go far be-
come familiar with the taste of it's
favorite food from the Mexican line to
the northern limit where the black scale
has hitherto hourished.
All the colonies were reported as hav-
ing been received in good order and
made up in activity for the confinement
in boxes while Ell route in the mails,
each colony consisting of from 25 to 81
lady birds. enough in each case to work
beneficial and wonderful change in the
appearance of infected orchards in Il
very short time.
Mr.. Cooper has colonized many of his
little friends during the last two weeks
on two OF his old infected orchards, and
In all cases they are doing good work
and increasing rapidly. He is well
pleased with his labor and success so
far, and well he may be.
Mr.. Craw expressed very decided
opinion that in a season or two, with
ordinary care for their preservation.
these parasites will eradicate the black
scale as thoroughly as did the vedalia
cardinalie the cottony cushion scale, and
we will hear no more of it than we now
do of the latter. This ia certainly
cheering outlook. Indeed, the white
white ecale is now raised and preserved
as food for the vedalia, to prevent this
valuable parasite from becoming extinct
from want OF sustenance.
There is one noticeable feature in this
matter which will hardly escape atten-
tion, and that is the state board of hor-
ticulture through Mr.. Cooper, ite piesi
dent and, Mr.. Craw it's quarantine otfi.
Ger are placing these insects wherever
desired. when applied tor without refer
ence to horticultural commiesi )ners or
inspectors. There is a prodigious want
of faith in these latter set OF officials,
who figure chiefly on the county pay
roll, and in circulating petitions de-
signed to hamper and obstruct the ef
forts of the state board in all it's efforts.