THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 141 



Where Eradication is Desired. 



No doiil)t every orehardist would desire to see an insect entirely 

 eradicated, no matter how wide its distribution, bnt the history of 

 insect control is full of instances where even the eradication of small 

 infestations have proven impos.sible. So many are these instances that 

 it is held that an insect, once established, can never be entirely eradi- 

 cated, and this is certainly true wherever the establishment is thorough 

 and over a considerable area. The tirst thing, then, to consider, is the 

 extent of the infestation. Wherever this would cover one to a dozen 

 trees in a very definite area, then the eradication might be possible, if 

 the methods adoptinl were properly applied. The writer is aware of a 

 nuuiber of such cases where l)y untiring labor and great expense the 

 mealy bug has been apparently eliminated. To do this, however, with- 

 out some loss to property, is very difficult. The work might be accom- 

 plisbed in a number of ways: by repeated fumigations, by cutting back 

 the tops and thoroughly washing the trunks of the trees a number of 

 times before the new growth comes out, and by entirely grubbing out 

 and burning all the infested trees. Either of the first two might prove 

 a failure, and while the last one is sure, it is not a method which most 

 growers would care to adopt. 



Other Control Measures. 



SPRAYING WITH WATER. 



At the Ontario convention the control of the mealy bug by the appli- 

 cation of water was briefly discussed. This office is also in receipt of a 

 paper by.]Mr. K. 0. Amundsen, containing experiments along this line. 

 The method employed is the application, by strong pressure, of water 

 to the infested trees, thus washing the mealy bugs to the ground. They 

 are prevented from getting on to the trees again by a tanglefoot band 

 around the tree trunk near the ground. The experiments have been 

 limited and cover only a short period of time, and while this may prove 

 to be a method of value its indefiniteness will not permit of a further 

 discussion here. 



GENERAL CONSIDERATIONS. 



Under the above heading the writer desires to discuss such other 

 important phases as have not been included in previous topics. 



Climatic Conditions. 



Climatic conditions undoubtedly have much to do with the increase 

 of the mealy bugs. In a warm, moist condition, such as a greenhouse 

 affords, certain species thrive and are in evidence throughout the entire 

 year, while out of doors the same species are usually confined to one 

 brood a year and are not much in evidence during the hot summers. 

 That the meah^ bugs occur throughout the entire State and often become 

 exceedingly abundant in the interior valleys, as well as along the coast, 

 shows that they are able to withstand a great variety of climatic con- 

 ditions, but it has been in the milder southern coast regions of Santa 



