The daily morning journal and courier., 1895-01-25
FITTING BUG AGAINST BUG.
How California HOrticuIturists are Get ting Rid of Destructive Pest.
 TFrom tha Son Fran nisoO Chrontclp

HOW California HOrtcultur1sts are GeI
 ting Rid of a Destructive Pest.
 From the San Francisco Chroniclel
 During the past three or four years small, black, beetle-like bug has beer noticed clinging to the branches and leaves of the trees in many of the larger orchards of California, especially in the southern part of the state. This unan- nounced stranger attracted no particu- lar attention for some time. Fruit growers soon began to notice that l whenever this animal appeared upon a tree the fruit deteriorated, the tree lost l it's vigor, and the crop was materially | affected Not only was the crop short ened, but it was noticed that the | strange animals rapidly increased in numbers and spread throughout a large area of country in the fruit districts. Such condition of affairs could not | long continue.
 Investigations were commenced, and at last it was decided that the small stranger was the cause of the trouble. The state board of horticultural com missioners took charge of the matter and soon devised ways and means to rid the state of the unwelcome visitors. Alexander Craw, the entomologist of the board, after collecting many speci- mems and noticing the effects of the in- sect ravages upon trees, pronounced the bug the black scale. At once in- formation was distributed throughout the state giving the best means of sue cessfully combating this active scale. Sprays for the trees were recommend ed and all available means were enl- ployed to overcome the enemy. Final ly it was decided to intrust the matter to nature in a degree. It had often been tersely said "the big fishes eat the little fishes" so why should not the big bugs eat the little bugs. Acting upon this idea the state board of hor- ticultural commissioners imported from Australia several colonies of the black lady-bird, Rhizobius ventrals.
 To this small lady-bird was intrusted the deliverance of California from the dreaded scale. Under MT. Craw's di- rectlon these colonies, as they are termed, of the black lady-bird were distributed in many of the large or chards of the state during the latter part of 1894. Since then they have been carefully watched, and that they have been most effective in their work is Shown by the report MT. Craw has just made to the board of horticulture. In his report MT. Craw says;
 ''As you are aware, a number of very strong colonies of lady-birds were libe- rated around Pomona in the latter part of September and early in October. On December. 11th, in company with John Scott, county horticultural commission CT, and Inspector James Loney, I in- spected several orchards in Pomona, which showed indifferent, but not dis couraging results, for in most instances the trees are very large and the planta- tions are extensive, so that even if million winged beetles had been libera- ted 1t would be difficult to find them even a few days later. In all places we found evidence of the beetles or larvae and a cleaner condition of the trees
 At Alfred Wright's olive orchard we found beetles and larvae of Rhizobius ventralis, also few larvae of Rhizo- bius debilis. The black scale had done considerable injury to the small inside twigs, but it is not so plentiful now" It was from this orchard that MT.