THE CITRUS MEALY BUG 293 



two and three times as great as that required to kill most other scale insects. 

 Experience to date seems to show that satisfactory control by either method 

 IS impracticable. In California reliance for the control is at present centered 

 on natural enemies." A. V/. Morrill, Ent. of Ariz , in Circ. No. 7, Ariz. Hort. 

 Com. (1910). 



"This (mealy bug) is one of the most serious pests on citrus trees at 

 I>resent and we are sorry to say seems to be on the increase in spite of all 

 measures of control." O. E. Bremner, Sec. State Hort. Com. of Calif, in De- 

 structive Insects and Their Control, p. 32 (1910). 



From the foregoing it will be seen that something should be done nn- 

 mediately upon finding mealy bugs in or near any citrus locality. Those 

 districts which are at present ignoring the mealy bug in spite of its presence 

 are sure to pay the penalt)'. Too much stress cannot be laid upon the matter 

 of thorough inspection of infected districts and of quick and speedy eradica 

 lion at any cost. 



QUARANTINE. 



The general excuse for allowing the mealy bug to pass unmolested has 

 always been that there was no way, yet known, by which to effectually cope 

 with it. While this excuse is perfectly valid if considering the matter of 

 complete extermination, it has been invalidly employed as an evasion of the 

 entire problem of control. Regardless of everything pertaining to the methods 

 of extermination, the matter of quarantine should have been forced as soon 

 as the mealy Ijug was found out to be an orchard pest. Even to-day we 

 find the most thoughtless, and absolutely unexcusable carelessness exercised 

 by many of the County Horticultural Commissioners and their Inspectors 

 regarding it. 



As stated before the pest to-day exists in practically every greenhouse 

 in Southern California. Xo one is responsible for its existence ; but those 

 in power should be held responsible for its ready and careless distribution 

 from these places. 



.\t the least we may follow out some of the following important quar- 

 antine measures : 



Trcc-to-Trcc Inspection. No one who owns an old orchard is absolutely 

 sure what pests it may contain. In order to ascertain the distribution of pests, 

 il is therefore necessary to effect a systematic inspection of all infected and 

 luiinfected districts. This can only be done by a tree-to-tree inspection per- 

 formed by inspectors who know their business. If it is properly done, the 

 results are sometimes marvelous. The following work actually done mav 

 serve to illustrate : 



During the summer of 1^09, a tree-to-tree inspection was made of the 

 Claremont, Pomona, North Pomona, and San Dinias Districts. Most of the 

 territory was supposed to be free from serious pests. During the first month 

 mealy bug was discovered in the Claremont district, miles from any district 

 known to be infested with this pest. P>efore the end of the season, purple 



