The San Francisco call., 1906-09-16
By Enos Brown

/ F Il were only possible for an exclu-
sion law TO exclude. how much
happier and richer would be the
horticulturists OF the great State
OF California IN the year OF grace 1906
The powers delegated to the Senate
and House Of Representative which
meet at the capital OF the nation are
ample 10 exclude all aliens. desirable
or otherwise. for that matter. and this
great power has been confirmed by de-
cisions OF the Supreme Court of the
United States. which declares that the
right 70 exclude follows the right to
admit, and that Congress which makes
laws has an inherent power to repeal
them after they are made. Thus. in
the face OF passionate protests of
great empire, Congress has declared
that Chinese shall be excluded from
this country. and every other nation on
the face OF the earth knows that con-
viets. paupers and diseased persons viii
not be allowed 70 infect the body polite
1n this country II by any means such
persons can be kept from entering it.
The law is supreme and is obeyed. The
United States is prepared TO spend any
amount OF blood and treasure to uphold
this privilege II circumstances require
But there are aliens which Congress,
even with its unlimited power, is i'm
potent 10 repel. which enter the coun-
try ike thief in the night. hiding on
q twig or a leaf cIinging TO a blossom
or q flower. attached to fruit OF the
tender shoot. that are brought into the
country 70 introduce some new plant or
tree, or TO increase the value and va
riety OF our horticultural resources.
When those wise old fathers settled
IN California, ESQ years ago. they came
20 stay. In time their missions and
monasteries were surrounded with all
the choice fruits and flowers which
nourished in the golden soil of old
Spain Quick to apprehend the possi-
bilities Of soil and climate. these sanity
men caused the vine peach. olive. lem
on and orange to flourish In orchards
and vineyards, which even now are
living and bear fruit in all its early
luxuriance and thrift. and have proved
the most enduring monuments OF the
mission period
Years succeeded years; the vine
yards spread and orchard succeeded or
chard, and for 200 years the very per-
fection OF the pastoral existence was
realized IN California The fathers and
the Spanish led a happy and careless
life in the repose Of new fig trees and
under its shade. while the contented
aborigine cared for the hocks and herds
and tended the rirening grain Then
succeeded a period Of decay. when the
lands OF the fathers were conhscated
and the wide territories were subdivid-
ed and granted to the favorites of Gov
eminent. The mild Indian dependents
were then scattered. the days of pa
triarchsl rule were over
Afterward game the American occu-
patton and subsequently, an intelligent
study OF the agricultural and horticul-
turaI resources OF the State-a pass
ing OF the era of gold and return to
the days OF the plow. Fruit raising,
the most fascinating occupation pur-
sued by man. became the ambition Of
every one who possessed land The
Introduction OF new methods Of pre-
serving fruit with the natural flavor
and appearance almost unblemisheo
opened up q vista Of commercial sue
cess which was seized by thousands Of
horticulturists all over the State
New types OF every fruit were intro
duced Countries far and near were
-znsacked for novel varieties and
wild speculation followed WHICH met
the usual fate OF such movement and
the rage declined.
No Pests for Centuries.
During all the hundreds Of years Of
the isolated patriarchal regime there
IS no record OF fruit pest resisting this
happy band Season succeeded season,
sometimes one less productive than
Others, climatic accidents or changes
occurred. but no scale or caterpillar.
no pear blight or vine fungus
was ever known to attack the fruit,
to XIII the trees or exhaust the vitality
OF the vine California was. until the
Americans began to plant orchards, ao-
solutely free from fruit parasites. and
II was only when shoots from foreign
nurseries or fruits began to be i'm
ported that the scale. the caterpillar
or the blight appeared in the orchards
OF the State. It can be asserted that
no fruit pest is native TO the State and
shat every pest which has desolated
NE orchard IS an immigrant, an alien,