﻿THE CITRUS MEALY BUG 317 



and is allowed to send plants into the orchard sections of the country un- 

 molested. Take the Southern part of the State for an excellent example. 

 .\fter having spent a great deal of time in the greenhouses looking into this 

 matter, I have found that mealy bugs exist in practically every greenhouse 

 in Los Angeles. Only to-day I turned back a shipment of plants froiu (inc 

 of these greenhouses badh- infested with the citrus variety, oiid which bore 

 a certificate stating that it z^'os free from iiijitrioiis insect pests. In many 

 communities these same plants are being admitteil daily, and what is dune 

 to protect the orchardist who does not know? At Pomona, a district which 

 cannot be equalled for fine orchards, mealy bug was found to exist in large 

 numbers in the greenhouses. .Xt Santa Ana the largest greenhouse and 

 propagating institution has mealy bug. The infection at Claremont was 

 traced to a greenhouse plant which had been planted near the house. N. 

 W. Blanchard at Santa Paula states that the mealy bug was first known 

 to exist in a greenhouse near his orchard. At Sespe the only infection was 

 found on some orange trees growing near a private conservator\-. At Fill- 

 more the pest was found in the only greenhouse in town. Two davs ago, 

 I destroyed six large Coleus plants infested with mealy bug, which came from 

 a florist at Santa Barbara. .A.nd so one could go on to practically every 

 original infestation with the same results. To accuse any one in the jiast 

 is folly, for the seriousness of the pest was not Icnown, but the present condi- 

 tions in many of the cities, towns, and orchard districts with regard to 

 greenhouse stock is inexcusable. 



Pickiiis; Boxes. — The secondary infestations in most parts of W^ntura 

 County may be traced directly to picking boxes. So evident is this, that in 

 some orchards the box rows are easily recognized by the presence of this 

 pest. At Oxnard the only infestation is in the corner of an orchard where 

 the boxes were always piled when they were taken from the packing houses. 

 From Santa Paula the boxes were sent to Oxnard and Ventura and both 

 of these localities have mealy bugs. The ability of the egg-masses to cling 

 to the boxes and of the adult female to endure hardships is responsible for 

 this condition. To nn- mind this is the most dangerous method employed 

 in a community as a spreading agent, and it was the first practice to be 

 stopped. For methods of handling boxes, see same under head of Quarantine. 



Picking Crezvs. — Coming later, hut even more disastrous were the picking 

 crews. They are spreaders of all insect and fungoid diseases, and while a 

 necessity in most cases, they accomplish, as scale distributed, in a few days 

 what would take all of the natural agents, and boxes years to do. Tiie 

 [)ickers rub through all parts of the tree and if there are any infections they 

 are sure to come in contact with them. In case of the mealy bug, there are 

 few chances of having picked a tree without carrying away some of the 

 egg-sacs which adhere to the clothes and especially to the hat. Following 

 up this method. I have seen great numbers of living mealy bugs on a single 

 ]iicker, who disregarded their presence absolutely. The next tree miw add 

 something to tlie supply or may Lake some away and so it is distrihuteil 



