1902.] INSECTS RELATION TO AGRICULTURE. I97 



signments of parasites and predacious insects were sent to 

 California, where an agent of the department cared for them 

 and colonized them upon scale-infested trees under closed 

 tents. A ladybird beetle (Noviiis cardinalis) at once demon- 

 strated its ability to devour immense numbers of the scales. 

 About 127 specimens of these ladybird beetles were received 

 and, after colonizing, these multiplied rapidly, as food was 

 abundant. When the numbers had increased to a sufificient 

 extent they were distributed throughout the infested region, 

 and it is said that from the progeny of those 127 beetles Cali- 

 fornia was practically cleared of the cottony cushion scale in 

 about eighteen months. The scale has since appeared in 

 Florida, and the ladybird beetle has recently been transported 

 to Florida from California and seems to be doing effective 

 work in checking the spread of the scale. 



We are looking and hoping for some equally beneficial 

 results from the recent investigations concerning the San 

 Jose scale.* 



Last spring the Department of Agriculture sent one of its 

 entomologists, Mr. C. L. Marlatt, to Asia to find if possible 

 the original habitat of this insect. After searching Japan for 

 five months Mr. Marlatt decided that the scale was not in- 

 digenous to that country, but that it had been introduced 

 into Japan from America at several different points and at 

 different times. Proceeding to North China, Mr. Marlatt 

 found a region near Pekin and the Great Wall where the 

 scale occurs scatteringly on native fruit trees and shrubs. 



No fruits have ever been imported into this region. The 

 scale has a natural enemy in the form of a ladybird beetle 

 (CJiilocoriis siinilis), and many specimens have been collected 

 and shipped to Washington, where measures will be taken to 

 acclimatize and establish the species. 



An account of the fig industry of California is of remark- 

 able interest. Though figs had been grown in America for 

 nearly two hundred years, the varieties were of inferior quality. 

 An attempt was made in 1882 to grow the Smyrna fig in Cali- 

 fornia, but the fruit dropped before maturing. More trees 

 w^ere set in 1886, and again in 1888 and 1889, and still later, 

 in 1 891, without success. 



It was finally ascertained that in order to produce Smyrna 



•Report of the Secretary of Agriculture for igoi, p. 96. 



