Los Angeles herald., 1907-06-09
CITRUS GROWERS
ALARMED BY PEST
ORCHARDST0 BETH0R0UGHLY
INSPECTED
AIeyrodes cltrl, Which Has Done SO
Much Damage to Florida, Makes
Its Appearance in Yuba
County

Are YOU harboring any aleyrodes
citri In your back yard? If you are,
look out, for the horticultural inspec-
tors are on your trail. The inspectors
have been instructed to go on gum
shoe hunt after the little pests and the
search will begin Systematically prlgnt
and early Monday morning. EVERY
citrus orchard in the county is to be IN
spected vigorously, and woe betlde the
aleyrodes citri that may be caught.
Death by fire will be it's fate.
The little bug with the long name is
said to be the gravest menace which
has vet confronted California citrus
growers 1t has long been serious
pest in Florida and Louisiana, and IN
the former state has caused the aban-
donment of many orchards ana tnelr
subsequent destruction by the state
horticultural authorities. A year ago,
acting upon the request made by the
Los Angeles county horticultural COM
mission. the state commission put in
force a rigid horticultural quarantine
against both Florida and Louisiana.
Since then no trees or shrubs from those
states have been legally imported into
California.
Pests Already Here
| Il1S, however, pIONOu W w 49,
case of locking the barn door after the
horse was stolen, for last month the
dreaded Florida white fly, as 1t is COM
monty known, was discovered at Marys-
VILE Yuba county, and entomologists
who hurried there to investigate de-
clared that the insect must have ar
rived at Marysville approximately three
years ago.
So far as is known the pest has not
| No
Yuba county, and the state authorities
are doing everything possible to stamp
1t out. This, however, is a dithcult
| task. as the aleyrodes citri yields to
only one known method of treatment.
Burning is the only thing that will put
a stop to it's pernicious activity.
| Los Angeles county, in common Win
other districts Of the state, is now
seeking to have the state authorities
establish a quarantine ABOUT fupa
county. and this in all Likelihood Will
be done. The county horticultural COM
mission has asked the governor to take
such action and the California Fruit
| Growers exchange has passed reso-
Hutton indorsing that request. IhlS Is
a severe remedy, but horticulturlsts de-
clare that it Is necessary. once the
quarantine is established no plants OF
shrubs of any kind will be permitted to
be sent out from Yuba county, eltner
| into another county of California or
elsewhere.
Far from Citrus Groves
| Fortunately. say the men who have
investigated the situation, MarysVllte'
where the white fly has been d1scov>
cred, is seventeen miles distant from the
nearest commercial citrus grove, and II
is hoped that the pest may be destroyed
| before it has had time to spread
\ that far.
The aleyrodes citri has several dis
! tinguishing traits which make its recog-
milton a comparatively simple matter.
In the first place it invariably attacks
the foliage of citrus trees and shruDs
only. Other fruits are free from It's
| attacks. Moreover, it always attaches
itself to the under side of the leaf,
probably because the leaf there pre-
sents a surface better adapted to the
scales suckers.
In its earlier stages the white fly ap-
pears as a yellowish- white scale about
the size and shape of common PIN
head Hundreds of them will be at
tached to a single leaf, with none on
the bark and none on the leafs upper
side.
AS the female of the species advances
toward maturity there emerges from the
scale a tiny white insect about the size
of a gnat and resembling to the naked
eve a bit of thistle down. Under the
glass the insect is plainly visible, but
without it the aleyrodes citri might
easily be mistaken for bit of down,
or even for a spider web, except for
the pure white coloring.
The matter of guarding against the
introduction of this pest into Los An
geles county was considered at a meet
ing of the county horticultural COM
mission held yesterday morning, and at
that time the eight inspectors present
were instructed to make thorough in
vestigation Of every orchard in the
| county. 1t is hoped they will find moth
ing. but If the fly is here the author
tiles want to know it.
Moreover the inspectors were in
kstructed to redouble their vigilance re-
garding irnportations of citrus plants
and shrubs from outside points. Since
the adoption of the quarantine against
Florida and Louisiana year ago
numerous consignments of citrus shrubs
from those states have been either
burned or returned to their senders.
The vigilance that accomplished this
much is to be extended and every ef-
fort made to protect local growers from
the dangerous little. fly which not only
saps the tree of it's strength put
| "smuts" the fruit.
In Marysville so far about 1000 trees
have been found to be infected. Citrus
growers throughout the state are pray
ing that it may be no worse
COUNTY AUDITOR DELAYS