135 
cases, flow from intelligent effort in this direction, is now sufficiently 
well known to American economic entomologists; but anticipating that 
we Shall have foreign delegates among us, and that our proceedings 
will be published more widely than usual, it will, perhaps, be wise to 
give the salient historical facts in the case, even at the risk of some 
repetition of what has been already published. In doing this the 
indulgence of the society is craved for the prominence of my own part 
in the work, rendered necessary by the disposition in some quarters to. 
distort the facts. 
The Fluted Scale, otherwise known as the White or Cottony-cushion 
Scale (Icerya purchasi Maskell), is one of the largest species of its 
family (Coccid), and up to 1888 had done immense injury to the orange 
groves and to many other trees and shrubs of Southern California. 
From Australia, its original home, it had been imported into New 
Zealand, South Africa, and California, the evidence pointing to its 
introduction into California about 1868, and, probably, upon Acacia 
latifolia. 
In my annual report as U. 8S. Entomologist for 1886 will be found a 
full characterization of the species in all its stages; but the three 
characteristics which most concern the practical man, and which make 
it one of the most difficult species to contend with, are its ability to sur- 
vive for long periods without food, to thrive upon a great variety of 
plants, and to move about throughout most of its life. 
The injuries of this insect, notwithstanding the efforts to check it, 
kept on increasing, and some ten years ago I felt that the work of this 
particular species and of others which seriously affected the fruit- 
growing interests of Southern California justified the establishment of 
agencies there. Up to this time no special entomological effort had been 
made by the Government on behalf of the fruit-growers of the Pacific 
coast. Through agents stationed, the one at Los Angeles, the other 
at Alameda, a course of elaborate experiments was undertaken as to 
the best means of treating the insects affecting the Orange there, and 
more particularly this Fluted or Cottony-cushion Scale. During the 
progress of these investigations, however, the fact impressed itself 
upon my mind that we had here an excellent opportunity of calling to 
our aid its own natural enemies, for while there were some doubts as 
to the origin of Icerya, the question was finally settled to my own sat- 
isfaction that it was of Australian origin, and that in its native home 
it was not a serious pest, but was kept subdued by natural checks. 
These facts were not positively ascertained without a good deal of 
correspondence and investigation, involving, in fact, a trip to France, 
as has been set forth in my published writings upon the subject. 
In my report as U.S. Entomologist for 1886, in an address before 
the State Board of Horticulture at Riverside, California, in 1887; 
in a paper before the Philosophical Society of Washington in the 
winter of 1888, and elsewhere, I urged, with all the force at my com- 
9052—No. 2——6 
