Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1897-05-26


lcerya purchase in California. The San /
Jose scale, so destructive in the United
States. attracts so little attention
wherever 1t originally came from, that
We do not to this day know with any
certainty its original habitat. Species
closely allied to the San Jose scale,
natives of the United States, are not
nearly so destructive. The red scale OF
the orange, Aspidiotus aurantii, IN ia
maica never infests citrus fruits, nut
occurs on lignum-vitae and palms; now
different are its habits in California
In Japan there is a scale almost ex-
actly identical with the San Jose scale
which infests citrus trees. which the
real San Jose scale never does in Amer
lea. Therefore, in view of such facts as
these, we can fairly say that we never
know what we are in for, when we IN
| trcduce new scale. A traveller, bring
inG a little ornamental plant in pot
may unwittingly ruin a great hortl-
cultural industry. Most OF the worst
scales are general feeders, and are la
Bile to spread from garden or even not
house plants to orchards.
Climatic barriers cannot always be
trusted. The rapid spread OF some
scale insects shows that hey can en-
dure great differences of climate. While
the climatic barriers to the spread OF
some species are real and important,
1t will not do to trust too much to them.
Al is probable that the very rapid re-
production of coccidae enables them 70
quickly adapt themselves to changes OF
climate, through the survival of the ut
test. Thus If there are million scales
In an orchard which is touched by frost,
II only one gravid female survives 1t
will suffice to eventually restoek the
orchard, and with a comparatively
frost proof race. Be this as 1t may, the
peach scale, Diaspis amygdali, fourinf-
es equally at Washington, d. c., and in
the tropics; and many others could he
cited which endure great differences
Of climate in different parts CT tteir
range.
II will now be useful to consider TIE
countries from which we are Fable tc
l be infested. From Europe we may tx
pect many pests of shade trees and ee'
ciduous fruit trees especially. For rx
ample, we have already received eh
maple Phenacoccus, the elm GeTsy
I paria, the New York plum scale $50
e calIe1), the Lecanium bituberculali nm
y etc 1t must also be remembered tha
$ semi-tropical scales may and unenes
= tionably do spread by way of Etscp
can lighthouses; in this way, for eS
ample, Orthezia insignls, destrutllg
% West Indian species, was undout tsdl
~ introduced into Ceylon.
)" From the West Indies and MeYsC
countries we may expect especial
pests of citrus fruits, of cotton, sut;
cane, ETC.; also the peach scale, tasp
. amygdali, which has already rfsclt
= this country. A further exploration
l. Mexico and most Of the West Ida
of islands is urgently needed, to detffmir
d. the kinds of insect pests there oecn
re ring. From Japan, perhaps, we star
r. in most danger. The climatic Cold
m tions permit the growth of the san
\ species of fruit trees as are grt Sn
- America, and of late Japanese yariasit
have become very popular, and hay
l. been imported in quantity. The eeac
n scale, Diaspis amygdali, is CONN on
at Japan, and there are many othdr IL
furious species. Unfortunately OF
knowledge of Japanese scale insects
yet in its infancy, and someone ougi
to be sent there for year to stuly Il
VI subject on the spot. Some injariol
~ species may also come from Anatrali
as New Zealand, the Sandwich leland
IN and in fact any place whence plan
he are brought. Especial care should
&c taken to prevent the introduction
- Asterolecanium pustuslans from Il
Sandwich Islands; 1t already exists
NJ Florida, and is common also 10 t
re West Indies. 1t especially infes ol
ander.