582 THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



practically every man who reads the Bulletin, and it is not necessary 

 to mention any specific ones. 



Too often the fruit grower has been misled to think that success will 

 come easy to any one who OAvns an orchard. This idea should be dis- 

 couraged in every way possible. Success will come to the grower who 

 is not afraid to roll up his sleeves and work ; who is willing to listen to 

 the advice of neighbors who have succeeded ; who is willing to read and 

 determine the best methods in vogue for the various operations of his 

 business. Any man can grow fruit trees and poor fruit, but it takes 

 an orchardist to grow the best trees and the best fruit. 



ORCHIDS AND THEIR SCALE PESTS AS FOUND AT THE 



PORT OF SAN FRANCISCO. 



By B. B. W^HiTNEY, state Quarantine Inspector, San Francisco, Cal. 



The orchids form a vast group of plants, (about 10,000 species). 

 Immense sums are paid for new plants. The price paid for novelties 

 causes collectors to scour every part of the tropics, risking their lives 

 in the mountains, jungles and fever-haunted swamps in search of these 

 plants. It is probable that large sums for single plants have been paid 

 more frequently for orchids than for any other class of plants. Large 

 quantities of orchids are annually imported to replenish hothouses. 

 There never has been any distinct orchid craze followed by a severe 

 reaction, as in the case of the tulip, dahlia, zinnia, camellia, etc., but the 

 interest has gradually extended, and is likely always to increase 

 steadily. 



Orchids may be divided into three classes : saprophytes, epiphytes and 

 terrestrial orchids. True parasites are not known to occur"^ in this 

 family. 



The saprophytic orchids are the most reduced forms devoid of chloro- 

 phyll, and depending for their carbon food upon the organic matter of 

 the humus in which they grow. The subterranean stem or rhizome con- 

 sists of a much knotted coral-like mass, which takes the place of roots. 

 In .most species the rhizome has been found to be infested with a fungus, 

 by means of which organic matter of the humus is absorbed and trans- 

 formed into compounds available to the plant. 



The epiphytic orchids exhibit the most varied forms. These inhabit 

 branches of trees, dead trunks, and often barren rocks, in tropical or 

 subtropical countries where a part of the year is unfavorable to growth. 

 As a result of this they have developed special food reservoirs, pseudo- 

 bulbs, terminating each season's srrowth. In this group there are com- 

 paratively few plants of attractive habit. 



The terrestrial species include some of the largest and most stately 

 orchids of the tropics as well as most of the orchids of the temperate 

 zone. Many of these are ornamental even when not in flower. 



Fruit growers, as a rule, are not much concerned about orchids, 

 neither, as a rule, is the quarantine officer, but the latter is vitally con- 

 cerned about the insect pests that he finds invariably associated with 

 the consignments of these valuable plants that he very often is called 

 upon to examine. The following list of scale insects that the writer has 



