The Lehi banner. [volume] (Lehi, Utah) 1891-1917, 1899-01-04
Tho Nov,us Cardinals in Portugal

A report sent out by the United
Btates Department OF Agriculture says:
The Department OF Agriculture OF
Portugal, through DR.. Howard. ento-
mologist OF the United States Depart
ment OF Agriculture, and the courteous
cooperation OF the State Board of Hor-
ticulture OF California, has succeeded
In repeating in Portugal the wonderful
success effected In California some
years ago partly through the efforts of
the department in saving the orange
industry OF that state from annihila-
ton, owing to the depredatlons Of the
white or futed scale Qcerya purchasi),
by the introduction from Australia OF
the Novius (vedalia) cardinals, which
preys upon the scale and thus keeps 1t
In check.
In September, 1895, DR.. Howard was
appealed to by Portuguese authorities
for advice as to the most efficacious
means OF combating the ravages of the
scale which had appeared in disastrous
numbers In the orange and lemon
groves along the river Tagus. DR..
Howard having satisfied himself, by
|
mems OF the insect received from Por-
tugal. that It was undoubtedly the
Icerya purchase OF California expert
ence, strongly advised his Portuguese
correspondents to attempt the intro
duction OF the Novius cardinals and
pledged his cooperation In an effort to
secure specimens and ship them to
Portugal. His advice and proffers OF
assistance were cordially accepted In
October. 1897. DIR. Howard secured from
the State Board OF Horticulture OF
California about sixty specimens OF the
Novius cardinals, in the adult condi-
ton, and some larvae. These were
packed in moss with a plentiful supply
OF Icerya as food, and forwarded from
Washington by direct mail Only Ave
OF tho Novius reached Portugal alive.
They were at once placed In glass Jars
at the Chemical Agricultural Expert
ment Station at Lisbon and were so
successfully cared for that when heard
from in December there was already
numerous progeny.
November 20, a second colony OF the
predatory beetles was received from
California. In order to hasten the
journey OF this colony to Portugal, DIR.
Howard took the packet to New York
and placed II in cold storage. awaiting
the arrival of the direct steamer to Lis
bon. But in spite OF these precau-
lions, and owing to Several unfortun-
ate delays in transit, the packet did not
reach Lisbon until forty-four days after
/ q lAHN Ia IN. anla
females were still alive. and, owing to
the great care taken OF them by the
Portuguese officials, these survived and
multiplied. Owing to the great fe-
cundity of the Novius, the breedings
from the six which reached Lisbon ia
few months reached many thousands,
and colonies were established in Lis
bon and its environs.
Reports received by DR.. Howard last
August were TO the effect that many
thousands of the beetles had been dis
tributed and already about ninety col
onies had been established in and
around Lisbon In the orange orchard
around the propagation station the
beetles and larvae OF Novius were reck-
oned by millions and colonies we're be-
ing distributed daily to farmers and
gardeners who asked for them. Senior
Lecocq, who had charge Of the work at
Lisbon gratefully acknowledges the In
valualA benefit done to Portuguese
agriculture and horticulture by the in
PRODUCTION of the beetle. Later infor-
nation is to the effect that colonies OF
the Novius were established on not less
than 487 estates, whence naturally
many others we're formed by radiation.
Gardens and orchards that were COM
pletely infested with the scale and
nearly ruined are today entirely clean
or well on the way toward becoming
so. The ontomologist would not have
been able to assist the Portuguese gov
ernment in accomplishing this great
! work had Il not been for the enlight-