Florida and C^AiiroRNiA Laboratoiuhs 233 



Can I hut master that disease 1 shall feci as if I had done one of 

 the finest pieces of work done by the Department for some time. 

 It is a matter of vast importance to this section of the Union. 

 There are several other diseases which are receiving attention," 

 but his main work then was on the ficr malady. Pierce had counted 

 on his " many and long letters " to Galloway to keep Smith advised 

 of his activities. Much interested in Smith's researches on peach 

 yellows and peach rosette, he had written from Santa Ana on 

 January 24: 



I would like tO/lc.irn of the situation in Geors^ia respecting the disease 

 there. Smith, can it be possible that a ferment in a localized position in 

 a plant may set up a fermentation which may persist and become cumula- 

 tive.^ I look for some facts from your Georgia disease which will throw new 

 light on many plant diseases. Hope you may find them. It would please 

 me much to hear from you and learn what are the prospects along the line 

 of bacteriology in your two diseases. The fig disease I am working on is a 

 mighty interesting one, but I shall now have to drop it till another season 

 for want of fruit on trees to experiment on. If you know of any first class 

 v/orks on fermentation and ferments don't be bashful in telling me about 

 them. My chances to get hold of works out here are altogether too slim. 



Pierce had returned to California in the summer of 1891 and 

 immediately taken up again his work on the California vine dis- 

 ease. En route to Los Angeles and Santa Ana, he visited northern 

 and central portions of the state: the Sacramento valley, the Napa 

 valley, the Sonoma valley, the Santa Clara valley, the San Joaquin 

 valley, and, in the course of his journey, had called on Hilgard 

 and Harkness at Berkeley. " The leading troubles to fruit in this 

 state," he reported to Galloway on July 30, 1891, "are scale 

 insects on the various trees. Phylloxera in the Napa and Sonoma 

 valleys as well as near Niles, and the disease I am at work upon." 

 On August 4, he reported from Orange: 



I came down to Orange and through the Santa Ana valley Monday the 

 3rd. The old vines throughout this valley and in the neighborhood are 

 now nearly all removed. A great abundance for scientific work remain, 

 of course, but the majority of them are gone. 



There are about Orange and Santa Ana — within a few miles of these 

 places — perhaps 25-30 small test vineyards now already started. These 

 comprise vines grown from cuttings and rooted plants procured from 

 unaffected districts and from other new vines of this district, set previously. 

 I have already visited seven of these new vineyards. The outlook is 

 good. . . . 



