315 



Strong (L. A). Report of the Bureau of Plant Quarantine. — Mthly. 

 Bull. Cal. Dcpt. Ai^ric, Sacramento, x, no. 11-12, November- 

 December 1921, pp. 614-626, 8 figs. 



The work of the Plant Quarantine Service of the Department of 

 Agriculture during the year ending 30th June 1921 is reviewed, and 

 particulars are given of inspection at the various stations. The con- 

 clusion is reached that if an adequate measure of protection is to be 

 given against such serious pests as the cotton boll-weevil [Anthonomus 

 grandis], pink boUworm [Platyedra gossypieila], European corn borer 

 [Pyrausta nubilalis], gips}^ moth [Porthefria dispar], brown-tail moth 

 [Nygmia phaeorrhoea], Mediterranean fruit-fly [Ceratitis capitata], and 

 others that are liable to be introduced through interior points and at 

 border points, a sufficient number of inspectors must be provided to 

 insure thorough inspection at the border lines and all terminals in the 

 interior, as well as at the maritime ports. Suggestions for the necessary 

 equipment, etc., are made. 



NouGARET (R. L.). Report of the Viticultural Service. — Mthly. 

 Bull. Cal. Dept. Agric, Sacramento, x, no. 11-12, November- 

 December 1921, pp.' 627-642, 2 figs. 



The situation in regard to Phylloxera is discussed. The small acreage 

 planted with wine grapes is attributed to the prevalence of Phylloxera 

 vastatrix, Planch., among them, the necessity for planting on resistant 

 roots, the difficulty of obtaining resistant stock, and the prohibitive 

 regulations of the Federal Horticultural Board governing the importa- 

 tion of grafted rooted vines and rooted cuttings. Any precautionary 

 method to circumvent or retard Phylloxera on vines, other than grafting 

 on resistant stock, is only temporary. Hot water is useful as a restric- 

 tion against dissemination, but it is useless as a preventive. The 

 recommendations are to plant vinijera vines in soils that are only 

 slightly or are not susceptible to Phylloxera, and to graft vinifera vines 

 on resistant stock when planted in susceptible soil. 



Experiments with cyanide fumigation against the grape mealy-bug 

 [PseudococcHs bakeri. Essig] have given rather unsatisfactory results, 

 and it is suggested that biological methods of control should be tried 

 as a last resort. An efficient parasite already occurs in the vineyards 

 of the southern San Joaquin Valley, namely, the Chalcid, Psendaphyciis 

 notativentris, Gir., which parasitises the mealy-bug in the earlier stages 

 of its growth, one parasite to each larva, though from a fully developed 

 adult female as many as sixteen parasites have been obtained. 

 In a few instances the mealy-bug has entirely disappeared from vine- 

 yards that had been infested for some years, presumabl}^ as a result 

 of the activities of this parasite. There is therefore reason to believe 

 that if it were to be reared artificially in large numbers and distri- 

 buted where P. bakeri causes heavy infestation, the vines might 

 eventually be freed from this troublesome pest. 



A condition that is causing increasing damage is root-knot of vines, 

 due to the presence of the Nematode, Heterodera radicicola, Greef. 

 The function of the roots attacked b}' it is greatly impaired, and the 

 growth of the vine suffers in consequence. Sandy soils encourage 

 the propagation and dissemination of this pest, while clay soils are 

 favourable to Phylloxera. The grape-grower, therefore, has a difficulty 

 in avoiding both infestations. The present indications are that the 

 Nematode ma}^ present as serious a problem as Phylloxera. It is 



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