THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. HTJ 



NOTES FROM THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS. 



By Geo. P. Weldon^ Chief Deputy State Commissioner of Horticulture. 



This office is in receipt of the annual report of County Horticultural 

 Commissioner R. S. Vaile for Ventura County in the form of a printed 

 bulletin. This report is neatly gotten up and contains much informa- 

 tion of interest and value to the fruit growers of the county, and reflects 

 much credit upon its able author. 



Mr. George A. Lamiman, in his November report to the Board of 

 Supervisors of Shasta County, tells of an important experiment he is 

 conducting for the good of the fruit growers. Recognizing the need 

 of a cover crop that will make a good winter growth, and believing 

 that winter vetch is such a crop if it can be grown successfully, he has 

 inoculated the seed with the proper bacteria in hopes that a thrifty 

 growth will be the result. 



County Horticultural Commissioner 0. C. McManus, of Modoc 

 , County, has just flnished a campaign against pear blight. He states 

 that he has been able to secure the co-operation of the growers in his 

 county in this work. When first beginning his term of office Mr. Mc- 

 Manus found there was not a single spray pump of any kind in the 

 county. Through his efforts, at the present time, there are about 

 twenty in use. This speaks well for the work that has been instituted 

 for the benefit of the growers of Modoc County. 



RED SPIDER SPREAD BY WINDS. 



By H. P. Stabler^ Yuba City, Horticultural Commissioner, Sutter County. 



During the summer of 1912 Mr. C. K. Woods, a fruit grower and 

 nurseryman of Sutter County, became convinced from his own observa- 

 tions that red spiders are carried greater distances by winds than is 

 generally supposed. For years it has been known that red spiders 

 can be blown from one tree to another in an orchard, and in many 

 instances for the distance of several rows, but it was generally believed 

 that a county road, a city lot or similar barrier was sufficient to prevent 

 the spread of the pest by the agency of the winds. 



Acting on this theory growers felt that by treating their own 

 orchards they were not likely to have an infestation from neglected 

 trees in the neighborhood. Mr. Woods held otherwise and was quite 

 satisfied in his own mind that proper tests would establish the correct- 

 ness of his contention. Unfortunately for the purpose of making tests 

 the unusually heavy rains occurring about September 1, 1912, disposed 

 of the red spider infestation for the season. 



Red spider infestation was unusually severe the past summer and it 

 was determined to test the efficiency of the winds as a carrier of the 

 mite. With this object in view, Mr. E. E. Munger of Yuba City placed 

 a sheet of sticky fly paper on a board and nailed it to a fence twenty 

 feet from an infested tree. This was done on August 2d and after 

 twenty-four hours examination disclosed the presence of a great many 



