KEPOET OF THE SECRETARY OF AGRICULTURE. LXXXI 



crab apples, and native pears grown in the region indicated where 

 no foreign fruit stock had ever been introduced. Furthermore, it 

 was found in scattering numbers everywhere, just as one would 

 expect in the native home of a pest of this sort where it is normally 

 kept in check by natural enemies. There can be no doubt that at 

 last its original home has been located. It was probably brought 

 to America many 3'ears ago on imported Chinese flowering peaches 

 or some other ornamental or flowering shrub from this region, hav- 

 ing first appeared in the gardens of a great importer of ornamental 

 and other plants in San Jose, Cal. A ver}" interesting fact in connec- 

 tion with this discovery was the finding in this same region of a lady- 

 bird which preys on it naturally and seems to be the principal agent 

 in preventing its often becoming very abundant and injurious. This 

 ladybird {Chilocorus similis), a European and Asiatic species, in China 

 feeds naturally on the San Jose scale and related forms, as also on the 

 white peach scale, a very troublesome pest, which has recentl}^ gained 

 foothold in our Eastern and Southern States. , Several shipments of 

 this beetle were made by Mr. Marlatt, some from Japan and some 

 from China. Unfortunately, all perished but two, this mortality 

 resulting from the long confinement of the six or seven weeks' trip 

 from Asia and the unfavorable conditions under which they were kept 

 in Washington during the winter. 



From the two surviving individuals more than 2,000 beetles and 

 larvfe are now on scale-covered trees on the Department grounds. In 

 addition to these, shipments of some thousand beetles have been 

 alread}' made to other points in the East, a number of experiment 

 station entomologists having expressed a desire to assist in the work 

 of propagating, distributing, and establishing this useful ladybird. 

 This importation promises most flattering results at present. It is, 

 however, still an experiment, and what the ultimate benefit will be can 

 only be determined after a two or three years' test. We hope to 

 establish this ladvbird in this countrv and to get from it some of the 

 good results, at least, which it evidently accomplishes in China and 

 Japan. It probably will not render it unnecessary in the future to 

 occasional]}^ spray or otherwise treat infested trees in commercial 

 orchards, but it probabl}^ will be of very great assistance in keeping 

 in check the San Jose scale in the thousands of gardens and small 

 orchards of individuals who have no commercial interest at stake and 

 who would not, ordinarily, take any means to keep this scale insect 

 from multiplying on their trees, thus forming centers for contagion. 



IMPORTATIONS OF OTHER BENEFICIAL INSECTS. 



The preliminary attempts to introduce the European enemies of the 

 gipsy moth have been continued. The difliculties attending the impor- 

 tation of the predaceous beetles from Europe to America are consid- 



AGR lJnj2 VI 



