THE MONTHLY BULLETIN 



CALIFORNIA STATE COMMISSION OF HORTICULTURE. 



DEVOTED TO HORTICULTURE IN ITS BROADEST SENSE, WITH SPECIAL 



REFERENCE TO PLANT DISEASES, INSECT PESTS, AND 



THEIR CONTROL. 



Sent free to all citizens of the State of California. Offered in exchange for bulletins 

 of the Federal Government and experiment stations, entomological and mycological 

 journals, agricultural and horticultural papers, botanical and other publications of a 

 similar nature. 



G. H. Hecke, State Commissioner of Horticulture Censor 



Geo. P. Weldon, Chief Deputy Commissioner Editor 



Associate Editors. 



H. S. Maddox Secretary State Commission of Horticulture 



Harrt S. Smith Superintendent State Insectary 



Frederick Maskew Chief Deputy Quarantine Officer 



O. W. Newman Assistant Secretary State Commission of Horticulture 



Entered as second class matter December 29, 1911, at the post office at Sacramento, 

 California, under the act of June 6, 1900. 



The Mealybug Question. The recent outbreak of the eitrophilus 

 mealybug in Riverside County again brings to the front the proposition 

 of attempted eradication rersus control. It is, in my opinion, however, 

 inadvisable to consider attempted eradication seriously in this ease until 

 we are certain of the boundary of the infestation, which we are not at 

 the present time, The infested area at Riverside now covers approxi- 

 mately 100 acres, and as inspection continues this area may be consider- 

 ably enlarged. 



To attempt the eradication of any pesl without full knowledge of its 

 local distribution is, to say the least, to act prematurely. Eradication 

 means taking severe measures and in this particular case it would mean 

 nothing less than the complete loss of three or four years' crop of fruit. 

 This would be a small price to pay if the treatment could be made 

 effective, but if eradication should be al tempted and should fail, then 

 individuals would be made to suffer a severe loss with no compensating 

 gain. The danger of several additional infestations cropping up in the 

 nearby vicinity after eradication has been attempted, is what makes 

 such an effort of doubtful wisdom at this time. If. after a thorough 

 inspection of the district, which will take some time, the mealybug should 

 be found to be limited to a comparatively small area, then eradication is 

 a possibility. The question now arises as to what action had best lie 

 taken while this inspection is being carried on. Unquestionably the 

 proper procedure is to adopt the best known means of control in order 

 that the infestation may not spread from the present center. The 

 mealybug has in the past been considered the most difficult citrus pest 

 we have to combat, and control either by spraying or by fumigation has 

 never proven satisfactory and has always been a source of great expense 

 to the industry. It is peculiarly fortunate, then, that Mr. Woglum, of 

 the United States Bureau of Entomology, has apparently demonstrated 

 a method of control which is both effective and cheap. Briefly, his 

 method is as follows (This question is gone into more fully on another 



