362 THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 



Economy in insect control through the use of parasites. 



It is hardly necessary to say that economy must be given a prominent place in 

 any agricultural preparedness program. Economy was the motive which caused the 

 early horticulturists to become interested in the biological method of pest control, i.e., 

 control by natural enemies. It would be difficult to compute in dollars and cents 

 the saving to California horticulture through the introduction of the Australian 

 ladybird for the control of the cottony cushion scale, but it meant the salvation of the 

 citrus industry. The establishment of the State Insectary was the result of the 

 lesson taught by Hie introduction of the Vedalia. 



Pest control by the biological method is first of all economical. During the past 

 year the citrus growers of California spent $1,300,000 on cyanide alone for fumi- 

 gating against insect pests. It would be far-fetched, indeed, to say that this entire 

 sum could be saved by the use of parasitic enemies, but it is certain that an appreci- 

 able portion of it could be thus saved. Besides the saving of funds, labor required 

 for fumigation and spraying is released for work more directly connected with the 

 production of food. It is true that practical results from the introduction of 

 parasites are slow in evidencing themselves, but parasite work carried on in past 

 years in California enables us now to control our pests at a lesser cost than other- 

 wise would have been the case. 



Crops of such great importance from the food standpoint, as grain, sugar, beans, 

 and olives, are reduced very materially every year by insect attack. Part of this 

 loss can undoubtedly be avoided by the use of the parasitic and predaceous enemies 

 of (he pests. The French Government has, since the outbreak of the war, come to 

 see the importance of parasite work, and now has in process of establishment an 

 insectary for work with beneficial insects. 



The Insectary Division of the commission makes no promises. We are attempting 

 to put into more general practice a theory which has already been proven in certain 

 cases. The relation of parasites to climatic conditions and to other insects is so 

 complex that it is an impossibility to forecast the results of our work in the 

 slightest degree. The goal towards which we are striving is larger crops of agri- 

 cultural products at less cost of production, and we have sufficient confidence in the 

 practicability of the biological method of pest control to believe that in this work 

 we can do our bit for preparedness. 



H. S. S. 



Standardization of the fruit pack and conservation. 



The standardization movement as it relates to the packing of fruits has made rapid 

 progress in the past three years. It is not some fad that will be taken up for a 

 time and then dropped, but, on the contrary, something that is vital to the future 

 of the fruit industry of the state. As production increases there must be a broad- 

 ening of the markets through which the consumer is reached. The latter is demand- 

 ing a high grade product, and something that is uniform and dependable. Stand- 

 ardization is an altogether successful attempt to increase the market for our fruit ; 

 to stabilize prices for the grower and consumer and to enable the consumer to get 

 good fruit. 



RELATION OF STANDARDIZATION TO CONSERVATION. 



In this time of extreme need, when it has become necessary to conserve every food 



product to the limit, the public is vitally interested to know of the effect of standard- 



' ization upon conservation. Definite data is lacking at present, but there is every 



reason to believe that the ultimate result of standardization will be to conserve as 



well as to standardize our fruit products. 



In the first place, there is more encouragement than ever before for the building 

 of by-product factories. Every one familiar with the fruit business knows that tons 

 upon tons of low grade fruit have rotted in our orchards because of no market and 

 no by-product plants to handle it. The interest in by-products is stimulated by 

 standardization more than in any other way, and thus we may expect many fac- 

 tories to be built for the conservation of our fruits such as have been wasted in 

 limes past. 



Secondly, standardization furnishes an impetus to do better work in pruning, 

 spraying, irrigation; in fact, all orchard operations must be performed well to 

 secure maximum yields of the finer grades of fruit to be used in standard packs. 

 There are many smaller orchard owners who do not spray their orchards, and who 



