Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1894-08-16

least some of the results. What is the
very worst fruit pest in New Mexico?
think none of you will hesitate to answer
me, the co6ling moth. But is the codling
moth a native of New Mexico, OF even of
America? Not at all. It is European
insect, which has spread almost all over
the temperate portions of the globe with
the cultivation of the apple.
You have all noticed the condition of
the pear and cherry trees in several of
the Santa Fe orchards. The brown curled
leaves, due to the attacks of Shiny
beast (Eriocampa cerasi), commonly
called the slug. This creature is, like the
hollyhock pest, a kind of saw-fy; but un-
like that, it did not originate here, but
has come to us from the east and Europe.
Go out into the cabbage gardens round
this town, and see how the cabbages are
faring. Can you find one garden that
does not swarm with the disgusting cab
bage louise or aphis (Aphis brassice) +?
But this again is not a native pest, it
comes from Europe.
Look again at the cabbage gardens,
and you will see white butterflies flying
about, laying their eggs on the cabbages.
There is a common native white butterfly
which infests cabbage, but these are most
ly the European cabbage-butterfiy (Pieris
rap@), which was first brought to Amer
lea about 1850, and has since been grad
ualIy spreading westward. It is more
troublesome than the native kind.
l have mentioned four pests, which have
come to us from eastward, huS such may
come to us from almost any quarter oc-
casionally. From the west we have in
the Mesilla valley the San Jose scale (As-
pidiotus perniciosus), 80 injurious to
fruit trees, and so difficult to eradicate.
The original home of this scale is not
certainly known, but some think it came
from Chilli; so far as we are concerned, it
is from California, where it has been
known for many years. The Chilli origin,
though boldly affirmed by some writers,
can hardly be said to be proven until 1t
is discovered on wild plant in that
country.
One would think that climate would
bar the migration of injurious species
from the tropics; and so it does in most
cases, but there are exceptions which
show how necessary it is for us to be on
our guard. A few years ago, when l was
curator of the public museum in Jamaica,
I found in my yard new kind of SCALE
insect living on the cspsicum pepper.
This was described under the name of
Diaspis lanatus, and subsequent investi-
CATION showed that it was common in
various parts of the island, and lived on
great variety of plants. Now just
lately this same scale has turned up as
a serious peach pest in tho eastern states,
flourishing as far north as Washington
City. 1t is very difficult to control, and
may in time even get out here and do US
very serious harm indeed.
Another scale, which might be called
the white mussel scale (Mytilaspis albus)
was discovered by myself in Jamaica; and
have found it also at Las Cruces, very
abundantly. So far, this kind has not at
tackled any cultivated plant, SO
Notwithstanding its wide range it does
not offer cause for alarm. | mention it
only to show by another example how a
species may live not only in the tropics
but in tho temperate zone as we'll, and
hence migrate from the one to the other,
In speaking of the causes which lead to
the increase or decrease of species of in
sect, have alluded to such matters ae
cultivation, climate, and 30 forth, but you
must not forget another and exceedingly
important element, namely the presence
of natural enemies, which arc for the most
part other insects.
Every creature, in its native haunts, is
subjected to the attacks of numerous
enemies, which keep down its numbers to
the normal. We're this not the case, any
kind, almost, would soon increase 80 az
to almost cover the earth, or at least
until it had exhausted the food-supply-
which might we'll be our crops. You
know how at times this result-the al
most total destruction of vegetation over
a certain area, Is brought about by the
inordinate increase of grass-hoppers, OF
the army worm-and how these hordes OF
insects seem of themselves to diminish
instead of, as one might fear, increasing
more and more. This satisfactory result
is brought about largely by the multipli
cation of natural enemies, parasitic OF
predaceous.
It does not take much thought to per
ceive that any insect brought to new
country, supposing the climate to be fav
orable and food plentiful, is placed in
position of great advantage, inasmuch al
its principal enemies are wanting.
OF course it is true, that there viii
usually be some kinds in the new country
which will prey upon it; but it rarely OF
never happens that these are equal in i'm
portance to those which existed in thu
original habitat.
Thus the cabbage-butterAy (Pieri
rapae), which / have already mentioned
as being imported from Europe, multi
piled in America to an extraordinary ex
tent, owing, it was thought, to the alb
sence of one or two special enemies OF iti
caterpillar. Similarly, the destructive
Icerya purchasi, scale which was intro
duced from the antipodes into California
multiplied because free from its specia
enemy, kind of lady-bug or beetle.
In such cases the balance will some
times be restored, or almost re
stored, by the enemy of specie
following its migration in nat
ural way; but sometimes it has seemed
advisable to import the parasite or pre-
daceous enemy of an introduced pest
Such importations sometimes result very
favorably, and if done with good know
ledge of the habits of the creature to b.
imported, can at least do no harm. Thus
for example, last year obtained from
California two of the enemies of the Sal
Jose scale, and turned them loose at La
Cruces. do not think, Judging from
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