The record-union., 1897-11-19

quarantine regulations and auxiliary
quarantine guardians, appointed by
County Boards of Supervisors, when the
"black scale" ''red SCALE" San Jose
SCALE" "cottonv cushion SCALE "codlin
moth," "peach-twig borer,' "canker
worm," "phylloxera' and others of that
ilk were introduced.
We cannot estimate the saving that
has been effected by the destruction of
infested plants, or the disinfection Of
others that have been brought into var
ious districts of the State within the
past few years from other States and
countries. A few scattering bugs, insect
eggs, boring larvae or beetles may look
harmless, but it is hard to foretell what
they will do when introduced without
their natural enemies or checks.
The list of injurious insects is leg1on'
and every precaution should be taken
to guard against their introduction or
spread. Some County Supervisors nave
a very erroneous idea of public econo-
my, as evidenced by their parsimonlous
treatment of their county horticultural
commissioners. This occurs where the
Boards of Supervisors are composed OF
other than fruit growers. TAKE LOT
instance a board, one member OF WHICH
is stock man, another wheat grower,
another a lumberman and two are pusl-
ness men in a town. With such board
in a county where fruit growing is
limited or in it's infancy, Horticultural
Board, if petitioned for, can be so
hampered that for any utility 1T might
Just as we'll not have been created.
Even in some of our important fruit
growing counties politics have sup
planted good experienced commission
ers and inspectors by others that have
the work to learn. The county and
State in the mean time are in danger
of some new pest. Take for instance
the experience of Observation-Disclosures
has frequently been alluded to-where
over one hundred thousand dollars a
year for several years past have been
appropriated by the State Legislature
and spent in fighting the gypsy moth.
1t has been estimated that 1t would
require an expenditure of two hundred
thousand dollars per year, for a period
of ten years, in order to stamp the pest
out Of a small district Of that State.
With such an example in fighting a sin
gle pest in a State that makes little
or no Iretense at fruit growing, it is
clearly the duty of every Supervisor in
the fruit growing State of California
to carefully guard an industry that
now brings into the State twenty mill
lions of dollars per year.
California's present system of quar-
antine and orchard inspection was re-
Gently investigated by a representative
of the Department of Agriculture from
Washington, D. c., and most favorably
reported on. The published reports con-
clude as follows: THE present system
in California is not a theoretical or ex-
perimental one, but is the outgroWth of
the practical experience of years, and it
is within the power of Eastern fruit
growers by adopting California's meth
DDS, SO far as they can be made to
apply, to save years of experimental ton,
which in the end would probably bring
about a similar system, but only after
immense loss to the fruit interests had
been incurred"
l hope that this convention will draw
up a memorial to be forwarded to Con-
gresSs urging an immediate and favor
able consideration of the national horti-
cultural quarantine bill, said memorial
to embody any suggestions as to
amendments tha. may be thought ad-
visable.
VINE PESTS.
A. Y. Hayne, professor of viticulture
at the State University, addressed the
convention on the subject of vine pests
He said that every one Of the millions
Of vines in the State that are not on
resistant stocks are doomed to GER
tain destruction unless a remedy is
found, the danger being from phyl-
lcxera- Growers have congratulated
themselves on the large crop of this
year and thought the danger Is over.
but they are mistaken. France so con-
graduated herself on her big crop Of
1879, but two years later found her
vines dying and since that time nearly
two and a half millions of acres have
had to be dug up.
The American resistant stocks being
used here are twenty years behind the
times, having been tried elsewhere, and
failed. The Anaheim disease is more
to be dreaded than the phylloxera and
has already destroyed over 10000 acres
of the finest vineyards. It's cause is not
known, and there is no remedy known
for it.
Horticultural Commissioners should
guard their counties carefully from
transmission from infected places. Cut
tings can be cleaned of phylloxera but
rooted vines cannot, and neither can
the Anaheim disease be killed. There
are other diseases, like the powdery
mildew, which Bordeaux mixture will
ic n oil
as soon as the phylloxera attacks the
vineyard and that the first vines at
tackled must be Immediately DESTROYED.
and their places occupied by resistant
vines. Nothing will stop it, but it can
be delayed
George Huesman of Napa took issue
with Professor Hayne, stating that if
cuttings were taken in the winter time
they would not distribute phylloxera
and disinfectants would only weaken
them. He did not believe that cut
ting would grow we'll where an old
vine had been taken out, having ex-
hausted the soil. The soil ought to
rest for at least a year before re-
planting
III. M. La Rue said he had lost a valu-
able vineyard from phylloxera, and he
agreed with Professor Hayne. He
plowed his land and let it rest for two
years, and his neighbors who later
planted resistant cuttings had caught
up with his vineyard. He had found
the Riparia better than the California.
He had lately, however, lost 10000
vines from some other cause
Mr.. Johnston. for the Committee on
Resolutions, reported the resolution
passed by the Board of Horticultural
Commissioners on Wednesday, and pre-