STATE HORTICULTURAL COMMISSION. 



be sent by mail in envelopes or pasteboard boxes, as they are 

 almost invariably crushed beyond recognition; strong wooden 

 or tin boxes should be used. Openings to admit air are not 

 necessary. Plant specimens, showing the injury done, are 

 desirable. The name and address of the sender should be on 

 every package. It will help greatly if correspondents, when 

 writing about insect pests, will give as full a description of 

 the habits, food plants, injury and abundance as possible. 

 Specimens of twigs, living plants with foliage, etc., ahould be 

 wrapped in damp (not wet) cotton cloths so that they will 

 reach us in fresh condition. 



Correspondents can materially aid the work of this depart- 

 ment by informing it of their success or failure in using the 

 methods recommended for controlling injurious insects, at the 

 same time giving a detailed account of the method used and 

 the results obtained. Such information will prove of value to 



all. 



SCALE INSECTS. 



These insects are among the most dreaded pests on fruit 

 trees in the State, owing to their prolificacy and easy mode of 

 transportation. They are generally firmly 

 attached to the foliage or bark of trees, and 

 when present in great numbers soon kill 

 the plant on which they are feeding. 



All the species 

 in our orchards 

 have been intro- 

 duced. Although 

 many now have 

 their natural 

 enemies, it hav- 

 ing been the pol- 

 icy of this de- 

 partment foi 

 many years t( 

 contr.ol thes( 

 pests by their' 

 natural para- 

 sites,' yet it is 

 necessary, in abnormal seasons, to use artificial means to 

 combat them. The grower very often overlooks the few small 



Fig. 1, 



San Jos(5 scale 

 on twig. 



Fig. 2. 



Pear, showing effects of 

 San Jos6 scale. 



