The record-union., 1897-02-28

! into the State, provided he complies
with the existing laws and regula tions
which insure to the grower clean and
healthy trees and to the nurseryman
a better and larger trade.
In other words, nurserymen are
compelled by law to provide clean and
healthy trees to their customers and to
| become honest in their dealings Every
State should vie with one another and
secure such legislation as shall benefit
| the entire nation. AIT present there is
no law providing for the inspection of
| export shipments or shipments going
out of the State, and if all other States
would have protective legislation it
| would compel the growers here to be
more careful and no infected fruit
would ever leave the State. And while
| this would protect every State it would
| also help us in compelling shippers
and growers to ship only clean and
bright fruit.
NATIONAL LEGISLATION.
In order to prevent the introduction
of foreign pests into the United States
stringent laws should be enacted by
Congress and strict quarantine estab-
lished at every port of entry A law
should also be passed providing for the
inspection of all cuttings and plants
sent by mail. At present what could
| prevent the Introduction OF the cur
culio or the gypsy moth into any State? ?
There are many curious people who
while travelling find curious things (or
| think curious) and collect and send
these curios to their friends through
hn J,rrC
pests into new localities. We have
many instances where this has been
done. The cottory cushion scale was
carried from one locality TO another on
bouquets. The bouquets on whiting
We're thrown away and from these the
pest spread. Flowers going from one
State to another should be carefully
examined
The flying foxes before mentioned,
and the mongoos were also brought as
curiosities. Only few months ago a
lady passenger ON a steamer had a col
lection of chirping crickets from Mex
leo, which are very injurious to vegeta-
| ton, and which she had raised as pets,
and would no doubt have liberated
them had they not been killed by our
officer on arrival.
Our Quarantine Officer has called the
attention of the Department of Agricul-
tura to this matter, CT there being no
national law or regulation to prevent
the Introduction into the United States
of even such terrible pest as the Aus
tralian ra bbit, and as there are other
ports of entry outside of this State
where they can be landed, that it would
be a wise procedure for Congress TO
enact stringent law leaving no loop
hole for thoughtless or careless people
to bring such pests, and when found to
provide for their immediate destruc-
ton.
CONDITION OF FRUIT PESTS IN
CALIFORNIA.
What I have said does not apply to
the present existing condition of the
fruit pests in the State. The cottony
cushion scale which caused so much
damage and through which the citrus
industry had about been abandoned,
has been practically exterminated
through the agency of the ladybugs
Vedalia cardinals and Novius Koe-
belli, introduced from Australia In
many parts of the State the black scale
UecaniUm oleae) has been extermi-
mated by the black ladybug, Rhizobius
ventralis, also of Australian importa-
ton. This lady bug is becoming COL
onized in many portions of the State.
The mealy bugs DaotylopiGs) are being
exterminated by a laiybug (Chrypto-
laemus mcntrouziarD.
The San Jose scale in many sections
has been exterminated by internal par
pc tc
nal parasites are at work on the yellow
scale (Aspidiotus citrinus) injecting the
orange, and keep 1T we'll in check The
Rhizobius nanus is doing good work in
lessening the red spider so destructive
to our prune and almond orchards, so
that while we have suffered from the
attacks Of injurious pests our orchards
now suffer but little in comparison
with what thew did, and by proper
quarantine laws We hope ito keep them
so and still improve their condition by
preventing the Introduction of new
ones.
During the advent of the cottony
cushion scale our citrus fruit shipments
decreased about one-half and with the
advent of the Vadalia cardinals and
Novius koebelei the output increased
and now we ship about 10000 carloads
annually. The Goblin moth is easily
subdued. as also all other pests of min
or Importance. The most troublesome
pest we have is the red scale (Aspi-
diotus aurantiD for which as yet no
effectual parasite has been found and
we have to apply the hydrocyanic gas
treatment which is somewhat expen-
sive but eff ective
The Introduction of parasites to COM
bat injurious pests is of California ori-
gin and the results attained have gone
on record as the greatest of boons to
California interests.
OUR HORTICULTURALI INTERESTS
The horticultural industry of Califor-
MIA is so diversified that her position
and interest in horticultural affairs diff
fer materially from all other States in
the Union, and for this reason has
taken the lead In the matter of quar-
antine, and its industries demand pro-
lection from the nation. AS showing
the important position she occupies in
the horticultural world and its con-
tinued growth the following figures are
given: Here follows statistics of fruit
shipments in 1882. when the industry
was in its infancy, compared with the
shipments of 1880.
While California, which nature has
decreed to be the orchard of America"
If not of the globe, other States are
equally interested in protective legis-
lation. When we destroyed a cargo
Of So, 900 orange trees from Tahiti in
tested by the mining scale. an insect
that no remedy can destroy, as it lives
under the bark, thereby preventing the
scale from obtaining a foothold, Cali