The San Francisco call., 1906-09-16


chards In every part of the Union. It
is loathsome in appearance and dim
cult to extirpate. 1t is also defiant Of
arsenical preparations, but succumbs
to the attacks of an insect which preys
upon It
of the State reported great damage to
their crops by some unknown pest and
solicited the aid of the entomologists
of the University of California. Pro-
fessor Woodworth was sent and after
time discovered that what hadsalways
been considered a harmless worm was
causing all the trouble. Every one
has seen the acknowledged worm so
common an object in every part of the
country, and one of this family. only
little one, however, 1t was discovered.
was the cause Of all the trouble in the
asparagus beds. The worm had found
out how succulent and delicious a veg
etable California asparagus was and
developed an amazing appetite for the
shoots. The damage resulting was
immense. BY suggestions Professor
Woodworth was enabled to prescribe
a remedy. and the ravages were great
ly lessened.
Thus 1t is that the growers of fruit
and vegetables are compelled to be
watchful against the new foes to their
peace which are appearing all the time.
One is successfully combated and dis
appears only to be succeeded by a
more voracious specimen, which is con-
yho xz-Ia ~
the front. The occupation of fruit
raising is shorn of many of its fasci-
nations and has become a profession
which combines the horticulturist with
the scientific farmer. The system of
intensive farming is now the only as
surance Of success for the fruit raiser.
Parasites are fatal to shiftlessness-
and harmless to the alert and persist
emily industrious. There is an antidote
for each new pest If 1t can be found
Big fieas have little fleas to bite 'em"
is true as ever.
An example of the ceaseiess and In
terminable war which horticulturists
are compelled to wage against fruit
pests Is to be found in the apple cul-
ture. fruit which is of universal cul-
tivation throughout the State but seems
to attain it's most prolific growth and
finest texture In the PaJaro Valley, the
city of Watsonville being the metro
pOllIan apple center. just how manV
years this region has been allowed its
supremacy as the finest apple section
in the West is not material, but that
the distinction is just will be admit
ted when the size, flavor and condition
of the apples named here is compared
with those of other parts OF the State.
The king fruit of the temperate zone
seems to find all its most exigient re-
quirements in soil. climate and tenn
perature of the Pajzro Valley. Grad
ually the apple orchards have en-
croached upon the lands roundabout
until there are now over million trees
in bearing and over q hundred million
pounds Of fruit annually exported from
the section. Where are apple orchards
there is sure to be an enemy of some
kind to attack the fruit as it natures.
The horticulturist is content to lose a
fair percentage year by year.
Controlling Goblin Moth.
It is only when the pest becomes
burdensome by appropriating more
than fair share that the grower is
compelled in self-defense to extermin-
ate the enemy. The presence of the
famous Goblin moth in the Pajaro or
chards a few years back gave the or
chardists only momentary concern, but
in 1902 and 1903 the moth had in