The herald., 1898-01-18

x1If11< wales ana Ick< Quk rum ~~-04~~
fIon ana despair behind All kinds Of
trees In addition to the citrus family,
Vineyards. shrubbery, nowers, alfalfa.
even weeds. were In turn attacked by
the destroyer and the outlook was
gloomy and discouraging. During this
period costly experiments were being
conducted oil over the coast with sprays
and emulsions, comprising everything
deadly known to science. but no mater
ial benefit was ever derived from their
use. Treatment by the gas process was
squally ineffectual and probably $500,
600 would be conservative estimate as
Ito the cost Of labor and material thus
lvainly expended. Many horticulturists
who had been drawing handsome in
comes from citrus fruits found them
selves deprived Of the same and no
words can portray the hopelessness OF
the situation. 1t has been estimated,
says a writer in one OF the ANIMALS OF
the Historical Society. that $5,000,000
would be inadequate compensation for
the damage wrought by the cottony
cushion scale from the time Of its first
appearance in Southern California.
In 1883 Albert Koebele was sent to Aus
tralia for the purpose Of discovering, II
enemy of the Icerya, 1t being assumed
that nature always provides an antidote
for every poison, q remedy for every evil.
Mr.. Koebele was acting under instruc-
tions from the chronological division Of
the Department of Agriculture, and con-
sequently to Prof. Riley belongs some
of the credit of the great discovery that
was made.
| AZ orvtxy {v.
lia the white scale had almost ceased to
exist, thanks to the vedalia cardinals.
popularity known as the Australian lady
bug. Owing to the scarcity of the white
scale and the consequent scarcity of the
vedalia. 1t was with difficulty he OBJ
tanned two or three colonies. which he
forwarded to Los Angeles In December.
1888, and January, 1889. Proceeding to
New Zealand Mr.. Koebele discovered the
vedala there in large numbers, and In
the spring sent several colonies, the first
being placed in the Wolfskill grove, on
Alameda street, Los Angeles, and the
later consignments in the groves Of
| Col. Dobbins and A. B. Chapman. at
San Gabriel. About the middle of April,
1883. from the first colonies planted In the
Wolfskill grove the work Of distribution
began. and later from the groves of
Messrs. Chapman and Dobbins. A pro-
pagating station was established.
| whence colonies of the vedalia were sent
out through Southern California.
Thenceforward the work Of annihilating
the hosts of icerya was rapid and cor.-
plete.
THE YEARS CROP
| Despite the vicissitudes incidental to
the growing of citrus fruits steady ad-
vance has been made, and each year the
crop has increased as additional trees
came into bearing. In the season OF
1899 the crop amounted to 4S43 carloads;
| in 1Ss3 6575; 1894, 5625; 1895, S4S4; 1895.
7745 and the yield during the present
season it is estimated will be about II, 900
| carloads. There are 1856 boxes to a car
| load, so that during the present season
somewhere about 4,032. 900 boxes will be
packed.
There were shipped about 1000 cars
during the month of December to supply
the holiday demand in the East, and
they brought from 81 per box for seed
lings to $125@1.50 for navels. Supposfng
and it is pure supposition-that the en-
| tire crop sold for only 81 per box, the
price pair for seedlings, over 100000
would be netted from the orange crop OF
Southern California AS q matter OF
fact growers have been getting $400 to
$3.50 per acre, for each tree averages
five boxes and there are seventy-five
trees to the acre.
Last year 125 carloads Of lemons were
shipped East, but this season 600 car
loads will be shipped. Heretofore less
attention was given to lemon than or
ange growing, but from now on large
tracts set out to lemons will come into
bearing and in about five years South
ern California will be able to supply the
demand of the whole United States-ifit It
remains as at present.
But right there is very comforting
Thought. The people of the United
States are gradually learning the fact
that the fruits of the earth are meat, and
not merely luxuries to titillate the palates
of the rich. AS this truth becomes
known the demand for all kinds OF fruits
will increase rather than decrease, and
such indeed Is found to be the fact. In
1891 there were imported into this coun-
try oranges valued at $2.339,987, lemons
valued at $4,351 $40 and olives valued at
/ 1920 1854. In 1896 the imports of the same
fruits were valued as follows: Oranges
81, ,694,131, lemons $5,040,344 and olives
$347,345. 1t will thus be seen that de-
spite the yearly increase in the crops in
Southern California, as additional trees
come into bearing. and the yield OF citrus
fruits from a few other sections Of this
state, and from Florida, all of 1t has been
absorbed by the eastern market and the
Increased product being insufficient to
fill the increased demand the imports
also increased. In the light Of such q
showing the cry of over-production some-
times raised is absolutely without merit,
and will be for long years to come. When
the people Of the United States recognize
to the full extent that fruits are food
products of the highest value, and are
willing to give per capita quarter Of
what is now expended on tea or coffee-
non essential for the sustenance OF life
or one-sixth of what is expended upon
beer or whisky-pure luxuries- then the
whole of Southern California will be
planted out as closely as household
garden with the various fruits, very
many millions Of dollars will be received
for the crops and even then the yield Of
this land Of sunshine and flowers will
not suffice to supply such an enormous
market
Handwriting of Famous Queen
Oueen Elizabeth wrote often to