534 THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



NEW INDUSTRIES. 



Yoli, of course, are well informed regarding the successful growing of 

 cotton, dates and rice in the fertile valleys of California. The cotton 

 industry is being successfully safeguarded from the ravages of the 

 cotton boll weevil; the excellent law protecting the date farmers 

 against serious scale pests originated in this office, and rice production 

 is rapidly increasing in the State and bids fair to become one of the 

 profitable industries of California. 



In the report to the legislature made last January it was stated that 

 several counties of the State had no county horticultural commissioners. 

 This condition menaced the entire State and involved no inconsiderable 

 expense, paid unjustly by the State. A bill was introduced into the 

 legislature to remedy this unfortunate condition, but it failed to pass. 

 Especially serious M^as the absence of a commissioner in such counties 

 as San Francisco, San Mateo and San Luis Obispo. It is more than 

 thirty years since effort was first made to safeguard the horticultural 

 interests of the State against pests which might gain entrance at our 

 chief mart of San Francisco. Only last season were we al^le to win in 

 this great confl^ict. We are very grateful to you and to members of the 

 legislature for valuable aid rendered in this fight. San Mateo County 

 imports great numbers of ornamental plants, shrubs and trees. Several 

 times our quarantine officers have taken gypsy moth egg masses and 

 live larvffi from importations into that county. We breathe easier and 

 sleep better since this county has appointed a horticultural com- 

 missioner. 



Another still greater victory is won in the parcel post law passed as 

 an amendment to the agricultural appropriation bill next to the last 

 day of the last session of congress. From our experience and observa- 

 tion in the quarantine service we trembled because of the parcel post 

 loophole. Here, again, we wish to thank you for valuable aid. 



The work all along the line is broadened, and except for the inde- 

 fatigable aid from my corps of assistants, it would have been quite 

 impossible to keep all the irons unburned. 



Nature gives us gladsome and generous support in producing A^ery 

 superior agricultural products. We are, indeed, very shortsighted if 

 we do not join hands with Nature to produce fruit and vegetables of 

 rare excellence. The fruit growers of California are more and more 

 alive to this truth. Standardization is the slogan of California horti- 

 culture today. Last year a bill standardizing the apple was introduced 

 into congress. From this Commission went forth several invitations 

 for conferences regarding this bill, and as a result important amend- 

 ments were made. The bill passed the house and went to the senate, 

 where it passed with amendments, but at this stage of progress it unfor- 

 tunately died. The bill was substantially the same as that introduced 

 by lion. H. E. McPherson of Santa Cruz in the last session of our own 

 legislature. This bill became a law, and its provisions entrusted this 

 Commission with its execution. This law was at once made use of by 

 the great apple producing section of the Pajaro Valley and has handed 

 over to the apple growers from ten cents to twenty cents more per box 

 for all their standard packed apples. A stamp was provided and sold 



