The record-union., 1898-04-27
A SCALE INFECTED ORCHARD
COMPLAINT MADE BY PRISON
WARDEN AULL.
Sacramento County Now Has nc
Fest Inspector-The Courts
May be Invoked.

On the 9TH instant Secretary Ielong
Of the State Board of Horticulture re-
ceived the following letter from War
den Charles Aun of the Folsom State
Prison:
B. NJ. Lelong, Secretary State Board
of Observation-Disclosures Sir: [ have an
orchard about one and one-half miles
south of the town of Folsom. of some
nifty acres-pears, prunes and grapes.
For the past eight years l have been
spraying regularly every season, at
considerable cost, for Goblin moth, scale,
etc. Adjoining me, a man by the name
of Billingsly and a Chinaman (Fong
Lee Long, own a tract that is an or
chard also. They do not spray, and
take no precaution whatever to prevent
scale and other insects The result is
that 1t neutralizes all my efforts to
keep my orchards clean.
Does not the law require them to
take care of their orchards? If so,
would be pleased to have you notify
them to that effect, and compel them
to comply with the law. All manner
of Vermin is fostered in their orchards
and scattered through the surrounding
country for lack of proper attention.
Very respectfully,
CHARLES AULL."
On the Sth instant Secretary Lelong
inclosed the above letter, with the fol-
lowing communication, to Chairman
Morrison of the Sacramento County
Board of Supervisors:
Hon. j. NJ Morrison, Chairman
Board of Supervisors, Sacramento
County-Dear Sir: 1 inclose herewith
copy of a letter received from Hon.
Charles Aull Warden State Prison, Fol-
som, relative to negligence on the part
of his neighbors to keep their orchards
clean and thereby prevent insect pests,
etc, coming into his orchard and de-
his crops of fruit.
Section /, Stat. Cal '91, p. IA, pro-
vides that whenever a petition is pre-
scented to the Board of Supervisors OF
any county and signed by twenty-five
or more persons, each of whom Is a
resident freebooter and pOssessOr of an
orchard, stating that certain or all or
chards or nurseries, or trees OF any
variety, are infested with scale in
sects of any kind, injurious to fruit,
fruit trees or vines, Goblin moth, etc.
the Board of Supervisors shall WITHIN
twenty days thereafter appoint Board
of Horticultural COmmiss, 7ars con-
sisting of three membcI-, who shall De
qualified for the duties of Horticultural
Commissioner.
L understand that petitions have al
ready been presented and the Board
of Supervisors have not yet acted on
the same. The negligence on the part
of the Board of Supervisors to comply
with this law has worked a great
hardship on fruit growers and the
fruit-growing community of Sacrament
to County, and it is hoped that the
board will al once comply with the pro-
visions of this Act.
Hoping that you will give this mat
ter your prompt and due attention, and
with kind regards to the members of
the board and to you personally, L re-
main, yours very truly,
"B. M LELONG, Secretary"
To a Record Union" reporter Mr.. Lee
long yesterday said that no reply had
been received from Chairman Morrison.
He stated that unless in the near flu
ture he received a reply from the board,
he would, as Secretary of the State
Board of Horticulture, bring suit in
the COul - against lliC pciI IiCS I'm
planned of, and see that the provisions
of the statute are complied with.
The reason no reply has been re-
ceived by Secretary Lelong from the
Board Of Supervisors is that the board
will not be in session until next Mon
day. and Chairman Morrison is absent
in Trinity County.
The county had for several years a
so-called Horticultural Commissioner,
or Inspector of Orchards, but his ser
vices were dispensed with last year.
Curtis was asked last even
ing why this was done, and he replied
that the majority of the board did not
like the new law governing the duties
Of such officer. 1t seemed to give In
spectors authority to involve the county
in unlimited expense, and it was
deemed best to try and get along with
out an Inspector in this county, leav-
ing the law to deal with orchardists
who neglected or refused to comply
with it's provisions.
Personally" said Mr. Curtis, 81
rather favor the employment of an In
spector of orchards, if we could only
secure just the right kind of man for
the place-one not only competent but
who would be sufficiently conscientious
to not put the county to unnecessary