Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-06
FIGHTING PLANT ENEMIES.
Work Carried on by the Californ1s
Commission of HORTICULTURE.

From the Century.
few months ago / saw In an Office 10
the city of San Francisco a little orange
tree about to set out upon what | presume
was the most remarkable journey an oranss
tree ever made. 1t was growing in a
wooden box. the whole tree being not more
than four feet in height. 1t was to be In
closed in strong redwood case. with open.
ings to allow 1t breathing space.
The little tree was bound for far in.
terror point in China 1t would probably
spend three months on its journey would
stay some time in China. far from the
beaten paths of tie tourists, and then
would begin its homeward journey to san
Francisco Curiously enough. the tree was
starting out Cor China to be cured of dc
ease. 1t, in common with a number OF
other California orange trees. had broken
out with most wretched afiiction which
was rapidly destroying its glossy green
leaves and uniting IL for service The
disease took the form of tiny insect cT
scale growth called Depidosaphes Beckii.
very small In its individuals, but many
In the aggregate and very dangerous. In
fact, if the disease should not he checked.
Ii would be likely TO do irrepaTable dam
age to a great fruit industry
In China the tree would meet a man
who has made lifelong study OF plant
diseases and injurious insects. He spends
his time travelling over the world searching
for the foes of these pernlcious insects.
He knows that there IL foe for nearly
every one and 1t is his business to find that
foe. One month he may be In West AUS
tralia-which country helps to pay his ex-
penses-another may see hun in Japan, or
in India, or Spain. or Siberia. 1t Is Well
known fact that while almost every insect
pest has its enemies. the enemies aud the
pest are evenly matched where the condf-
tons are normal. and no harm is done.
When the balance is not maintained, the
pest gets the upper hand. Then comes the
need of the searcher of pest foes II is
exceedingly difficult sometimes 10 find the
region of the world where the foe exists.
1t was learned in roundabout way, for
example, that in an Interior Chinese PROV
ince this pest of the California orange
tree lived side by side with tiny insect
that was an enemy 10 it. The pest and
the destroying insect developed in about
equal numbers, so thar the balance was
preserved and the pest did no harm. Tie
object in sending the little orange tree on
its long journey was to take IL into the
locality where the pest and the insect both
live. allow the destroying insect 10 lay
its eggs upon the leaves of the tree, as IL
always does when it finds place where
its prey is living. send the tree home again
with the eggs of the foe upon 1t. hatch them
out in San Francisco. and then send the
spiteful little insect ont into the infected
orange regions TO destroy the pest that
threa tens the orange industry.
This is an illustration OF the functions
of remarkable enterprise, now being car
rled ON under the supervision OF the Cal
ifornia commissioner of horticulture. The
way has now been opened for revolution
In the methods OF insect pest treatment
The commission. which is a state board.
has been quietly at work upon the problem
for ten years. 1t has demonstrated by
actual tests that the only permanently sue
cessful way of combating pests in plants.
whether fruit trees, vegetables or grains, is
either to stamp out the disease altogether,
usually a practical impossiDility, or to IN
troduce into the region where the pest ex-
lists its natural foe. The balance of ma
ture is absolute The moment an insect
pest gets in the ascendaney and begins 70
be a destroyer this balance is distuibea.
and at that moment, II possible, the foe
should be at hand, II is sure 10 exist some
where-nature provision against oyerpro-
duction When unrestricted produstiou
goes on in plant or animal life. no one can
predict the result.
So the work of this commission is not
fad but a practical and immensely vaiuabde
enterprise, already resulting in the saving
of millions of dollars to the fruit industry
of California. The saving, when the ex-
pertinent is a success. is twofold: first, 4
puts a check-upon the disease or pest tins
saving the crops; and. secondly. II does
away with the need of elaborate and ex-
pensive spraying outfits.