DIVISION 0¥ ENTOMOLOGY. 191 



very clearlj^ that the original home of the San Jose scale was in this 

 region. In brief, this scale insect was found on wild haw apples, 

 native crab ajDples, 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 probabl}' brought to America 

 many j^eai'S ago on imported Chinese flowering peaches or some other 

 ornamental or flowering shrub from this region, having first appeared 

 in the gardens of a great importer of ornamental and other plants in 

 San Jose, Cal. A very interesting fact in connection with this dis- 

 covery was the finding in this same region of a ladybird which pi-eys 

 on this scale insect naturally and seems to be the principal agent in 

 preventing its often becoming very abundant and injurious. This 

 ladybird {Chilocorus siniilis), a European and Asiatic sj)ecies, 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 recently 

 gained foothold in our Eastern and Southern States. Several ship- 

 ments of this beetle were made — 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 condition under which they were kei^t in Wash- 

 ington during the winter. From the two surviving individuals more 

 than a thousand beetles and larvae are now on scale-covered trees on 

 the Department grounds. Shipments of these beetles to other points 

 in the East have alreadj: begun, a number of experiment station ento- 

 mologists having expressed a desire to assist in the work of propagat- 

 ing, distributing, and establishing this useful ladybird. This impor- 

 tation 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 it 

 in this country and to get from it some of the good results, at least, 

 which it evidentlj' accomplishes in China and Japan. It doubtless 

 will often be necessary in the future to spray or otherwise treat 

 infested trees in commercial orchards, liut the Chilocorus will prob- 

 ably 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, and it is further hoped that Dr. 

 Howard, who is now in Europe, maybe able to make arrangements 

 with different individuals there which will result in greater success 

 in future importations. The difficulties attending the importation of 

 the predaceous beetles from Europe to America are considerable, and 

 to get them established in this country will demand the careful coop- 

 eration of agents or interested individuals on the other side. 



The black scale of the orange is the most destructive, perhaps, of 

 all the orange pests in California, and the South African parasite of 

 this scale insect, whicli we have been endeavoring to establish in Cali- 

 fornia for the last year or two, still gives promise of ultimately becom- 



