Imperial Valley press., 1929-11-06

about the advixab:Ety Of closed
season on melons. squash, etc, in
the late summer ana fall to let the
many pests Of these crops die out.
This office has sccn enough danger
in the continuous cropping plan to
feel justified in doing what it can
to aid the closed season idea"
A survey Of the Camels' Thorn
infested properties shows 81 infes
tations with a total Of approximate.
ly 78 acres. Nearly all Of these in
festations are we'll under control
with the exception of five proper
ties belonging to Nonresident own
crs. Two of these properties have
keen sold to tie state for taxes
Consequently the work of getting
cooperation and real eradication
work done on those ranches has
been greatly handicapped
Farmers who have taken keen
personal interest Lave accomplished
n great deal in the way of eradica
tion of Imperial county's worst
weed pets which has become estab-
lishcd on their properties.
Brought From nsia
Camels' Thorn was probably in
'roduced into Iinperial county in
shipments Of Ttnkestan alfalfa
seed from Asia.
Lettuce growers, and other farm
ers with full planted crops, have
been seriously concerned over the
damage caused by the common
"woolly bear" or Salt Marsh cater.
pillar, which is migrating into the
fields from nearby acres on which
the alfalfa has been cut or the
weeds destroyed by culture. This
caterpillar normally lives on ground
cherries in this region. These large
oaterpillars destroy great numbers
of poisoned lettuce plants before
they die so that custing with arseni-
cal poisons, the method used by
most growers, has not been salts
factory. Deep .urrows, with STEEP
side nearest the lettuce field, have
been used to checl; the invasion
from nearby alfalfa. Heavy oil in
the bottom of the Tdrrow is helpful.
Bait III the form of poisoned
melons is very attractive and prom
iscs to give a good method Of con
troll. Cut melons coated with arscn-
ate Of lead or crlcium arsenatc are
readily eaten by this caterpillar
which apparently leave other food
plants of all kinds in favor of the
melons.
Milo maize has suffered this year
from one of the periodic attacks
of the Pink s;cavcngcr worm
pyroderccs riley), "A pink cater
pillar with a da k head-about one.
fourth to thrce-cigLth inches long
1t has been in Imperial Valley for
several years and is known through.
out the southern states as n rathe,
general feeder. Some years in the
southwestern states it has done
severe damage to Kaffir corn and
related crops both in the field and
in storage. Conts"l can be accom-.
piishcd by fumiga;ion. After the
corn has been cut and put in piles
cover II with "A talpaulin and fum-
gate with either calcium cyanide or
carbon bisulphido.
The following goods were inspect
cd and passed into the county dur
ing the month cf October. 1929:
IlI1 ornamcnfals. 1856 rose bushes,
100 bulbs, 10 narcissus bulbs, 1925
gladlolus bulbs, l3S ferns, 232 Ian,
fanas, 1896 bedding plants, 54S tu-
lips, 30 ranunculas bulbs, 81 boa.
gainvillcas, 120 hibiscus, 55 jas.
mine, 1os cannG bulbs, 100 chrys.
anthemums, ~ v'olcts, II palms, l
cactus, 81 hedge plants, cypress
trees, 10 Spanisi bsooms, % jaca.
randa trees, 80 eucalyptus trees
100 bigonia twecdiana, 200 straw
berry plants, 500 citrus buds.
The following quantities of sacked
seed were importod:
2i93 alfalfa, l2S cantaloupc, 106
lettuce. 6S rye grass, j. carrot, Il,