7i8 Journal of Agriculture. [9 Dec, 1907 



On the apple trees at Mr, Cutter's I saw a leaf aphis that is unknown in 

 Australia, covering the underside of the leaves and causing the foliage, 

 young wood and even the stem to look as if it had been painted with oil. 

 Here I might notice that woolly aphis is common in all apple orchards, 

 but does not seem to do anything like the damage it does with us, even 

 when neglected. No apples as far as I could learn are ever grafted on 

 blight proof stocks, which are hardly known in most districts. Very fine 

 peaches are grown in this district, but for the last three years a powdery 

 mildew has attacked and killed back much of the young wood and when 

 I saw them most of the trees had a couple of feet of defoliated wood at 

 the tip of each branch, but were otherwise healthy. 



The question of the bacterial disease known as " Pear Blight "' is one 

 of the most serious propositions that the fruit-growers of all parts of 

 America have to deal with, and it has spread all through this country, all 

 the pears are more or less affected, dying back from the tips. I was told 

 that there are 2,000 acres of once fine pear orchards that are doomed. 

 If such a regulation does not exist I would suggest that the importation 

 of all kinds of pear- wood stocks, &c., be prohibited from any part of 

 America, as it was introduced from the east of California, and is very 

 easily spread. No remedy is known except cutting back bit by bit each 

 dead branch and this is only a temporary check. 



From Sacramento I went on to Lodi the centre of the table grape 

 industry ; some 50,000 acres of vines are growing in this part of the 

 country, some wine and some table grapes. No irrigation is needed as the 

 water is within 4 feet of the surface. Though phylloxera is well known 

 all over California little or nothing has been done in planting the new 

 vineyards with resistant stocks, as the growers say that by the time the 

 vine louse reaches them they will have made the value out of their vines 

 and saved the extra expense over cuttings. 



My next visit was to the south of Los Angeles, stopping at Fresno to see 

 Mr. Geo. Roeding in reference to the fig industry and the caprification 

 of the Smyrna figs. Mr. Roeding sent me out to his manager who took 

 me all round the fig plantation and showed me the methods they employed 

 in introducing the Blastophagina among the Calimyrna figs. He considers 

 that one insect is sufficient to cross fertilize a fig. I also went over the 

 fig drying grounds, and saw a great number both of figs and grapes spread 

 out to dry in the sun. Since the Pure Food Act has stopped to a very 

 great extent the use of sulphur in the treatment of raisins and prunes a 

 very large quantity of the grapes is not dipped in lye but simply spread 

 in the sun. 



Leaving Fresno at midnight I reached Los Angeles early next morning 

 and went up to the Capitol where I found the County Horticultural 

 Commissioners Ofiice and introduced myself to Mr. Jeffrey, who, after 

 giving me a general account of the district, gave me an invitation to attend 

 the monthly meeting of the orchard inspectors about ten in number. After 

 they had read their reports I gave them an address upon our work in 

 Australia and we had a general discussion. As you are probably aware 

 each of the fruit-growing counties of California has a County Horti- 

 cultural Commissioner, who is appointed by the Supervisors (Councillors 

 or Aldermen) ; he reports upon all insects, pests or other matters dealing 

 with the fruit industry and is paid so much a day while doing horticultural 

 work. He can appoint one or more inspectors who can visit orchards 

 and instruct persons what to do to destroy pests, and in cases of neglect 



