The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-10-02
FumlgatIon Of Orchards
(By Prof. A. ]. Cook.)

(By Pro1. A. j. Cook.)
A few weeks ago, after a somewhat care
full investigation Of citrus orchards about
Ontario fumigated by the county commits
sioners in the autumn of 1887 l wrote to
The Herald, comparing this work with
that observed by me, done under the con-
tract system. 1 stated that this work was
much better done, that it was very excel
lent. and inserted this clause: THAT the
contract work seemed to be weighed in
the balance and found wanting"
Some CT the men who fumigated under
contract felt that l had wronged them,
that their work under fuller examination
would be found to compare very favorably
with that done by others, and at their re-
quest undertook much more prolonged
and thorough examination.
Orchards Examined
have examined orchards which may be
grouped in five classes: Those fumigated
by foreman or manager of a large or
chard, the Seth Richards estate, managed
by Mr. Frank Palmer; those fum.gated by
the owners, use being had Of the county
tents; those fumigated by the horticultural
commissioners: those fumigated by con-
tract; and those not fumgated at all OF
the first, have examined one orchard, the
very large one alraedy referred to; Of tho
second, five orchards, all near Claremont:
Of the third, sixteen orchards, all near On
tario, or along it's famous avenue; Of the
fourth class, those fumigated by three
separate contractors, sixteen orchards, all
in the vicinity Of Claremont, Pomona and
Ontario.
Results
OF these orchards, those fumigated by
the horticultural commissioners CT San
Bernardno county are the best. In several
orchards 1 examined from twenty to
thirty trees extending diagonally across
the orchards in each. and over one hum
dred leaves in each tree, using good lens.
that no scale could escape observation
without finding a single scale. Another
person was with me, and his search was as
fruitless as was mine. In one orchard
that of Miss Freeman. on Twenty-third
street and Euclid avenue, some young trees
in the corner Of the orchard were not 80
badly infested with scale as to convince
the owner that fumigation was necessary
or best. and 80 they were not fumigated in
October, 1897, when the balance of the or
chard was gassed. These were not on the
leaf examined on these young trees showed
a living scale, and scales were found on
every tree observed, although. not a scale
was found on any other tree Two Of us
looked steadily for an hour in orchards be-
fore we found a single living scale, and In
six or seven orchards examined not a
scale was found. In these orchards, as In
all that shall refer to, abundant evidence
looI~ NJ ,lI
scales showed that the orchards were dirty
and badly infected, when fumigated a
year ago. In only one orchard gassed by
the San Bernardino county commissioners
were these scales found to any extent, and
then only on two or three trees. DR.. Dunn,
whose candor and judgment no one can
justly question, said that this orchard was
we'll fumigated. and that the single trees
showed some accident, as these trees were
very bad. On one leaf from one Of these
trees counted over 800 young live scales.
1t Is probable that a charge for sma II
tree, or else omission Of acid or poison al
together explains this case. Mr.. Pease
says that this and one or two other or
chards are the only ones fum.gated last
year that are unsatisfactory, and that the
foreman of this fumga ting force was dis
charged very soon. and could not get a
place this year. Mr.. Pease's work con-
vinces me that fumigation can be we'll nigh
perfect He uses nearly twice the amount
of cyanide that some others claim to use,
and is insistent that the tents should be
kept thoroughly mended, and be left on
the trees never less than forty minutes,
and often much more. Each foreman is
made to understand that any deviation
from these rules means instant discharge
upon discovery. At the beginning of the
season all the foremen Of gangs are drilled
for some days and taught all about the ap-
pearance and life history of the several
scale insects that are damaging the or
chards. Thus intelligent, thorough and
uniform work is insured. A manager has
charge of several gangs. He may run on
| to foreman at any time, and thus care
lessness or lack Of judgment is almost sure
of detection. The foremen are appointed
by and are responsible to the manager, and
the managers to the commissioners. Poll
tics, the bane Of such work, seems not to
have entered here. Mr.. Fink, manager at
Ontario this season, is Democrat, while
Mr.. Pease Is a Republican. Mr. Fink did
the best work as foreman last season, and
so good work, not politics, promotes him.
This Is as 1t should be.
The next best work was done by Mr..
Palmer IN the Seth Richards orchard, and
by those in Los Angeles county who used
county tents and did their own work. In
oil these cases very few scale were found
the work seemed about equally good and
very uniform, believe these orchards
like the ones at Ontario, will not need to be
gassed again for four years, and where
all orchards were fumigated. as at certa In
places in Ontario, think It may be post
poned even longer.
The work done by contractors was not
ought to be fumigated again this fall All
did some good work, though some do better
work than others. Very few Of the or
chardsl arg as clean as are all the orcha rds
of the other three classes. That the con-
tractors are honest, seems clear from the
fact that all wished the investigation, and
all acknowledge freely poor work One
contractor said he had sold or should sell
his equipment, as 1t was impossible to Sc
cure efficient managers. Another impedi-
ment stands IN the way of good work.
Unwise orchardists, instead of saying do
good work and we will pay for it, urge re-
duction OF price down to non-payine
basis. and then the contractors are likely
to whittle the amount Of poison and the
time Of exposure to an extent which re-
suits in inferior work. believe severe
competition has resulted in inferior SER
vice. Why might not contractors agree