The Delta independent., 1905-02-10
Valuable Insect.

Mr. y. -. runner SenOS the 1O!lOW-
ing clipping from San Francisco, Cal
ifornia, to let the horticulturists know
that the day of deliverance from the
hitherto interminable spraying for the
Goblin moth is nigh. The article says:
"The most important discovery that
has ever been made for the benefit of
horticulture is announced. The para
site that destroys the Goblin moth has
been found in South America by George
Compere, who is employed jointly by
the state of California, through Horti-
cultural Commissioner Cooper, and by
West Australia, to find beneficial in
sects that are born to prey upon those
that are injurious.
1.-THE genuineness of the discovery is
vouched for by the fact that the apple
orchards that are in the habitat of the
newly found parasite bring 95 per cent
of their fruit to maturity. In Califor-
MIA and in all other portions of the
world hitherto the products of the
worlds apple and pear orchards has not
been more than 80 per cent to IS per
cent of the premise at setting.
The discovery of the Goblin moths
destroyer, which has been sought in
vain for many years, therefore means
that the worlds output of apples and
pears can be made reliably and regular
ly, about three times its present size.
There will be three good pears and three
good apples in all parts of the world
where there is one of each. The apple
and the pear are to be found in all
parts of the world where the climate is
temperate. The Goblin moth is also to
be found all over the world. The vic
ious insect causes apples and pears to
be wormy and false at heart and to
drop prematurely from the trees. 1t
preys on apples and pears with equal
and imperial diligence and has been q
destroyer Of these lucio1s fruits for
centuries. Its reign is drawing to q
near end.
Mr.. Compre has sailed from West
Australia, acting under the direction of
Ellenwood Cooper, to forward to this
city the first colonies of the Goblin
moths tiny but invincible foes. Here
the colonies will be cultivated. Billions
of the parasite may be easily raised here
under favorable conditions. From San
Francisco the colonies may be forward
ed to all and the first to apply will re-
ceive the first beneficial results. 1t is
said that wherever the Goblin moth par
asite will also thrive, regardless of eN-
tremes of temperature. Consequently
the discovery becomes at once of world
wide Importance. The first of the cod
lin moth parasite will probably arrive
in San Francisco before the expiration
of the present year. The work of null
tiplying the parasites will begin at
once. There is food enough for them
in this state. The success in propagat-
ing other beneficial parasites demon
strates in advance that the newest par
asite will increase here.
A million dollars will be annually
saved to this state by dispensing with
the costly sprays that have been APP
piled five or six times annually to the
fruit trees to destroy the Goblin moth.
Other millions will be earned by the
increase in the production of the trees
when the Goblin moth is made scarce
countless millions taking the world at
large, may therefore be added in COM
paratively short period to the worlds
wealth by this discovery. - Grand
Junction News.