The ranch. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1902-1914, 1906-11-01


value?
A: From four to ten years-much de-
ponds on variety.
10. What would this first crop
bring?
A. This varies with different seasons
from $50 to $500 per acre.
10. Is labor plentiful?
A. Reasonably so. We have never
suffered by reason of lack of help.
$50. What wages do field hands re-
ceive?
A. Hands who have steady employ
ment, $12O with board and $3.50 with
19-Q. What number of trees per
acre is it considered best to plant?
A. That depends on what kind of
trees they are. Apple trees from so to
IS per acre; pears, peaches, cherries
plumS, apricotS and nectarineS from
lao to 200 per acre.
Not long since the Tacoma Daily
Ledger contained an editorial headed:
'The Doom of the Cooling Moth"
That interested me, as 1t would any
man raising apples in any one of our
warm Valleys, SO l read the article
to see what was to bring about this
much desired DOOM" and what did
| learn? Nothing. The editor stated
that a parasite had been introduced
into California by Mr.. Compere,
that would soon seal the doom OF this
worst of all insect pests. Now, this
already knew and have mentioned
the fact in The Ranch. I have eau
toned our readers about building
their hopes on this parasite. It's use
is in the experimental stage in Cal
ifornia and our best men there do not
commit themselves as to the venture
being a success. Mr.. COmpere is
very enthusiastic hunter of parasites
and has allowed his zeal to lead him
into some serious plumbers. Prof j.
M. Aldrich, the entomOlogist of the
Idaho Experiment Station, and a very
reliable man, throws some light on
Mr.. Compere's work and shows that
he is very unreliable. The following
from Prof. Aldrich l clip from the
Gem State Rural, of Idaho, to which
publication Mr. Aldrich wrote it:
few months ago you asked me to
give in your columns my opinion to
the probable outcome of the attempt
to do away with the codling moth by
importing it's parasites. At that time
| said | had no faith in the scheme.
Within the last few days 1 have receiv-
ed a publication which throws some new
light on Mr.. Compere's methods. 1t is
a report by Mr.. c. p. LounShury, gov
eminent entOmolOgiSt of Cape Colony,
South Africa, of a trip taken by him
self and the entomOlogist of Natal to
South America, in the endeavor to Sc
cure some of Mr.. Compere's fruit-fy
parasites The fruit-hy (CeratatiS CAPT.
tata) does not yet occur in the United
States, but is pretty widely distributed
over the semitropical parts of the world,
the larva living in peaches and other
fruits. Mr.. Compere had visited Brazil
(their summer in Brazi), and on re-
turning to Australia he reported that the
fruit fly was held in check in Brazil by
several species of parasites and Sta
phylinid beetle. Among other state
ments he made these: I'm Brazil, the
same as in India, natures forces OF con-
trolling these destructive flies is com
plete" and "once these parasites and
beetles become established in the state
(meaning Western Australia), there Will
be then no more fear of Ceratltls capt.
tata than there is of the most harmless
insect in the country" Mr.. COmperes
confidence and enthusiasm created the
feeling in South Africa that an effort
should be made in their own section to
introduce such extremely beneficial in
SectS Mr.. LOunSbury and his colleague
of Natal, Mr.. Fuller, arranged to go to
Brazil; Mr.. c.. b. Simpson, of the Trans
Vaal, was invited to accompany them
but he thought it wiser to let Mr.. Com
pere first demonstrate the great Dement'S
of his scheme and declined to endorse
the project.
To summarize the results of the trip,
Messrs. Lounsbury and Fuller found in
Brazil that the fruit-fy was generally
abundant and injurious, was not held
in check perceptibly anywhere, had but
few parasites, and was not even ar
fected by the Staphylinid beetle during
the time of their stay, which would be
the time most important if the fruit
were to be saved. They made some in
effectual efforts to transfer to Africa
some few parasites that they found,
but in so doing they also found Mr.. Com
pere's whole fabric of glowing repre-,
sensations to be based on very slight
foundations Mr.. Lounsbury in his re-
port is careful to credit Mr.. Compere
with the best intentions and to avoid
as much as possible any reflections on