The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1919-10-03
COMPLETE ERADICATION OF
ORCHARD PESTS AIMED AT
Inspector Darlington Initiates Cam
paign to Free Wenatchee District
Orchards of COdling Moth

1t is estimated that the direct dam
age done by codling moth in the State
of Washington in 1918 was about ST.,
100000, to say nothing of the cost of
control methods. The loss from cod
ling moth in the Wenatchee district in
1918 was estimated at S1,000,0C0
British Columbia is now producing
thousands of car loads of apples
yearly. What was their loss from
codling moth and scale in 1882. They
had no loss from worms or scale
Why? Because neither of these pests
have ever been allowed to get foot
hold in British Columbia. There have
been several outbreaks of codling
moth at different times and at diff
ferent sections of British Columbia,
but in each case the outbreak has
been quarentined and strenuous meas
ures taken until the pest has been
completely eradicated. This method
has saved British Columbia millions
of dollars. When the Washington
State Horticultural laws were first
formulated, complete eradication of
codling moth and scale was not con-
sidered possible, so that in this state,
and in fact every other state, we have
worked upon the basis of control
methods rather than upon the basis of
complete eradication. Had we started
in this state upon the basis of COM
plete eradication and kept the state
entirely free from scale and worms,
it would have saved the state millions
of dollars yearly.
But it may not be too late yet to
adopt this policy, or at least work
toward such policy. We have yet
certain sections that are uninfested
only slightly infested, such as parts of
Okanogan county and the upper end
of the Wenatchee valley. The codling
moth is slowly encroaching upon these
districts. Can these sections be kept
clean? Can the slight infestation
now present be stamped out? They
are doing that very thing across the
line and see no reason why we can
not do it if we get properly organ
lied.
I am now led to believe that it is not
beyond the bounds of possibility to
completely eradicate codling moths
from given areas even in our old, bad
ly infested sections. My belief in this
direction is very much strengthened
slope this year. In 1918 Sunnyslope
had loss from worm infeshrdlumb
mated at about 20 per cent of the en-
tire crop. A special codling moth SER
vice was carried on in that section
this year in which each grower was
given individual attention thru the
different control operations. This
year it is estimated that the loss from
worm infestation in that section will
probably not exceed 1 u per cent, pos
sibly not exceed l per cent.
We believe that if this work on
Sunnyslope can be continued under
the same conditions another year that
Sunnyslope can be made practically
worm free and kept that way. If that
is possible in a section as large as
Sunnyslope (1400) acres, it is not be-
yond the realm of possibility to even
tually get a whole county or whole
district of four counties upon the
same basis, if it can be organized on
proper working basis. Is it worth
while?
At the present time the prospects of
carrying on this work are not very
bright. While each of the counties
in this district, with the exception of
Grant county, have given the work
liberal support for next year, there is
a string on these county funds that
under the present conditions make the
system unworkable. The state horti-
cultural law which was put into eff
feet years ago. set the maximum wage
to be paid to county assistant inspec-
tors at 81 per day. At the present
time common labor receives S5 per
day and has all summer. 1t does not
take any long lapse of imagination
to see that it is impossible to employ
well trained men for 81 day. The
state law can not be changed except
by an act of the legislature. So that
it is plainly evident that in order to
put on any horticultural inspection
service next year, money will have to
be raised in some other way, TO sup
plement the county wage of 81 per
day.
The growers have requested more
liberal funds for horticural inspection
work. The county commissioners have
granted their request. But these
funds cannot be used under present
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