The herald., 1893-07-30
WHAT MEANS THE OPPOSITION,
Some History About the Little
Orcus Chalybeus.
Interesting Extracts From the Rec
ords of the state Board.
The Opposition to Prof. Koebcls which
Was COMMENCED Last Fall-How
an AppropriAtion Was
Kuocksh Out.

an AppropriAtion Was
Kuocksh Out,
Ocus chaly bsus, 'the stssl-blue lady
bird and scale destr0ler, still holds her
head up and is receiving her due share
of public attention. The HERALD is
constantly receiving from all sides con-
gratulations for having taken up the
fight for the little stranger and insisting
that it should be protected and domes-
ticated. "A good many thousand dollars
has been expended in bringing to Cali
fornia parasitic and predaceous insects
to rid the great orchards and orange
groves OF their destructive enemies.
What influence is it antagonistic to the
introduction aud propagation OF this
valuable little insect named in the
opening OF this article. and who ia be-
hind exerting this influence, and what
is the object to be attained? Are there
other considerations in sight, ben
citing the hard-bested orchardist and
scale-iaden fruit trees?
If there be any person or persons in
terested in placing obstacles in the way
OF her ladyship having free field and
fair play, there must be a motive for it.
1t will probably be the province OF the
HERALD to find out something directly
in this line in the very near future.
1t has already been noted how last
fall number Of people, principally
commissioners, Inspectors and publish
ers, went down at stated intervals to the
Niles and Kercheval orchards. camped
under the trees long enough to pase req
olutions against the lady bird, then
hastened back 10 town and promptly
had published and sent broadcast their
denunciatioDs OF the inoffending insect; ;
and for what purpose? Citrus fruit
growers were numerously absent at all
these meetings, but the other industries
referred to above were we'll represented.
Later on, things developed apparent
to the ordinary mind. A bill was pend
ing before the legislature appropriating
Sl0, 900 to enable the state board of hor-
ticulture to keep Professor Koebele,
master mind in entomology, in the field
tn search for predacious insects. The
orchards of California were dying fruit
growers were we'll nigh discouraged
scales of every hue, shape, tenacity and
condition were gathering in masses on
every tree, shrub and plant; financial
prostration stared the helpless orchard
ist in the face, and utter ruin awaited
the orchard tree. Something had to be
done and done quickly and intelligently.
The state board of horticulture and Pro-
fessor Koebele had already accomplish
ed far more than the most sanguine
hoped for in the same line OF work, and
it was thought proper that the same in
telligent workers should be continued.
Here there was an opportunity too
good to be lost. A petition was drawn
up to be presented to the legislators pro-
testing against this appropriation. This
petition was industriously circulated in
Los Angeles and odjoining counties, and
in every case by a c0mmissioner or in
spector paid by the counties for other
work. Not representative fruit
grower Gas far as the HERALD can learn)
had anything to do with the work. and
but few of them signed it; but it had
the desired effect.
1t is perhaps better to give some Of
this history as found in the printed pro-
ceedings OF the state board of horticul-
tire, held in April last. President Eli
wood Cooper of Santa Barbara in his
address at the opening OF the meeting,
among other things had this to cay !:
The bill appropriating $4,000 for the
purpose of sending an entomologist to
foreign countries to search for parasitic
or predace0us insects passed the senate
with but one dissenting vote. In the
assembly a protest or petition
was presented from Los Angeles,
said to be signed by 700 fruit growers of
Los Angeles and adjoining counties.
This petition defeated the measure.
Those interested tried to get this pc
tition, in order to have q copy and list
of the names attached, but failed. l
wrote to Mr.. Talbot, our representative
from Santa Barbara county, who intro
duced the bill also TO one of the par
ties who were instrumental in getting
up the petition and circulating it; also
to others who thought might obtain
some clew to it; but l have not been
successful in getting information, and
the only evidence is the publication, on
page 14l, in the March number of the
Rural Californian, G. M. Heintz propri-
etor. l beg to call your attention to
this petition, which reads as follows:
To the Honorable the Members OF the Senate
and the Assembly of the Legislature OF the
State Of california;
"GRNTLEMEN: We, the undersigned
citizens of the state of California, en-
gagged in fruit growing, and directly in
terested in economic and ornamental
horticulture, beg leave to call your at
tention to the following facts:
"That the citrus and deciduous fruit
orchards of California are more or lees
infected with injurious insects, costing
the fruit industry vast Gums of money
annually to suppress ahd hold in sub
lection by artificial means; and that,
unless this expense is lessened, the
growing of fruit for profit, as an indus.
try, will be seriously crippled.
THAT we not only commend, but
warmly endorse the efforts made by
your honorable body in making appro-
priations from time to time for the pur-
pose of sending expert economic
entomologists to foreign countries, in
search Of predaceous and parssitical in.
sects to iced upon those that are In
furious to our orchards and gardens, and
that we shall appreciate and help and
endorse every legitimate effort to
colonize and introduce beneficial insects
to feed upon those of an injurious
character.
"That the appropriation of $4,000
made by your honorable body some two
years ago for this purpose, and dis
bursed through the agency of the state
board OF horticulture. has not only been
barren of results but has indirectlv