The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-09-03
Alexander CraW---A Tribute
The Rural Californian.


On June IS there passed to the Great
Beyond an individuality that had made
its mark on the horticultural develop
ment of this state; a man imbued with
the higher elements that go toward
making the ideal public officer, the
patriotic citizen and the good neigh
Dor; a man of broad Observance, keen
analytical powers and a robust appre-
citation of his chosen vocation, the likes
of which are rarely met with and which
constitute a refreshing atmosphere to
our everyday life. Nothing higher can
be said of person than that he was
true to his convictions and ideals
These attributes were all pronounced
in the life of Alexander Craw. A ma
tive or Scotland, and, since 1873,
resident of California and an Amer
lean citizen, he has left his mark on
the horticultural developments Of his
adopted state to a marked degree. The
trend of his mind from his youth was
essentially toward the outdoor life:
love for animate and inanimate nature
was the overpowering influence which
led to the adoption of landscape garden
ing as his work. Before becoming
known as an entomologist, he was rec.
ognized as the foremost propagation and
plant grower IN the State of California,
A thorough training in some of the
leading seed and plant establishments
OF England brought to his American
field of operation a knowledge which
at once placed him in the front ranks.
Alexander Craw came to California
in 1878, living in San Diego about two
wears. From there he came to Los An
geles and at once took charge of the
celebrated Wolfskin orange grove, then
the most celebrated orchard of it's day,
occupying the site where now stands
the Southern Pacific depot in Los An.
geles. Among all the groves of the
earlier days, this was easily the most
productive and most celebrated; here
it was that Mr. Craw became well
grounded in the care and management
of orchards and their products, which
added much to his prestige in later
years. AS an ambitious student, we
soon find him well posted in the intri-
cacies of economic entomology, master
ing its details and learning to appre.
ciate its place in an enlightened horti
cultural practice. In this connection
il is well to note that he was always
ready to lend a helping hand to his /
associates engaged in orchard practice
and was ever foremost in the exploita- /
ton and development of ways and
means calculated to eradicate the in !
furious insects which affect orchards |
and gardens and to lessen the evils of !
plant diseases. He was among the first |!
to experiment with the hydrocyanic |
acid gas fumigation for red and black /
scale, and to his endeavors no little /
.redit is due for its final fruitiOn !
Many of the spray formulas extensive, /
V used, some fifteen or twenty years /
lgo, were the result of his efforts.
Mr.. Craw 5 qualifications in the field
If economic entomology were early rec
,gnized by many of the foremost scien-
lists and fruit growers, not only in
his state, but of the country at large.
In the year 1888 he received the APP
continent of quarantine officer of the
State Board of Horticulture; when the
BOARD was abolished and the office of
tate horticultural commissioner was
.reated, Mr.. Craw was made quaran-
inc officer of the state, with headquar
ers at San Francisco, in which office
he served until 1904 when he was made
TO the Territory of Ha,
vail, with headquarters in Honolulu,
a much larger salary than
hat allowed by the State Of California
Here he served with distinction. until