Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-22
BY JOHN STEVEN McGRoARTY.

BY JOHN STEVEN McGROARTY.
The story of the war waged against
the Mediterranean fruit fly in Florida
furnishes plenty Of thrills.
The struggle has been, and is, to
drive out dreaded enemy. Therefore
it is war just as truly as war ever was
between contending armies and navies
of men, only that the fight against the
fly calls forth a conflict really more
titanic.
That was the thought in the minds
of the people when, from the North
at the dawn of an April day, great
motor trucks loaded with sprayers and
the impedimenta of the fighting en-
tomologists came laundering into peace
full lake-gemmed city of Orlando.
Nobody was expecting the blow. A
few weeks previous, the growers were
counting their happy gains. The
citrus and vegetable crops and all
crops had been bounteous and had
brought good returns from distant
markets. AS an instance of 1t, the
writer visited an orange grove from
which $1,000 boxes of fruit had been
shipped at a net profit. Of ST box to
the grower.
Things were going along merrily,
then came the fly.
A delegation of nurserymen had
stopped overnight in Orlando on their
way to a trade convention in Gaines
vile. An Orlando grower presented
them with some very choice grapefruit
to take with them.
Larvae Shipped by Air Mail.
A morning or two afterward when
the fruit was served in Gainesville
the delegation noticed the presence of
numerous small maggots. 1t alarmed
them, and they Immediately reported
to the State plant commissioner. The
larvae were placed under observation.
Soon small flies emerged from the
pupae. The flies were sealed in alcohol
and shipped by air mail to the Bureau
of Entomology of the United States
Department of Agriculture at Wash
ington. The insects were immediately
Unidentified as the dreaded Mediter-
ranean fruit ny, and the dire news was
wired back to Florida.
The appearance of enemy ships Of war
in the harbors and the beat of drums
of marching armies upon her sunlit
plains would not have filled Florida
with greater CONSERVATION.
There is within the political edifice
Of Florida highly important and very
eficient organized commission officially
designated as the State Plant Board.
The plant commissioner, who has for
several years past directed the activi-
ties Of the board, Is DR.. Wilmon Newell,
man Of wide experience and trained
scientific mind. Especially is he noted
as an entomologist.
Fortunately, DR.. Newell and his plant
board were in full function when the
crisis arose and it seems to have been
wise action on the part Of the Federal
Department of Agriculture to take this
organization over in toto as first step.
Quarantine Set.
On April % Of the present year the
Federal Horticultural Board met In
Washington to consider the situation
At that meeting quarantine Of Florida
was decided upon and G. L. Marlatt,
chief of the quarantine service, assumed
charge. He took over DIR. Newell and
the Florida Plant Commission.
The Department of Agriculture Sc
cured the consent of Congress to make
q transfer from the pink boil weevf1
worm determination fund an unex-
pended balance of $4,25o,000. which
sum was made available for the cam
paign against the fly. The $4,000
which the State was able to appropriate
was added to this fund, making up at
least temporarily sufficient war chest.
DR.. Newell and his plant commits
sion, working under orders from the
United States Department of Agricul-
ture, went promptly to the firing line.
The old Courthouse in Orlando, aban-
doned for q new structure, was put at
the service Of the authorities as head
quarters.
An army Of 5000 men was being COM
rnanded from this headquarters.
To its fixed force the plant board
station and extension service, COM
Wandering also by telegraph and tele-
phone veterans of a former war that
was waged-and waged successfully
against the citrus canker.
Forces Modified.
A dozen or more of the foremost ex-
perts Of the Federal Department OF
Agriculture came from Washington
and men were called from Texas, where
there was fight on against the Mexi-
can fruit ny. Men were brought from
the Middle West who had routed the
corn borer. Residents who showed
aptitude and ability were quickly
trained to serve In the important capac-
ity of inspectors.
Across the town an elaborate labora-
tory was set up. And there the ny was
->at through his daily dozen. saw
f1iee. SSss,,rsng them In all thair habits
N~ts-..x.. !. A&7.eSs >x,rI,,ki<,... %~rNK awUr r.