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BULLETIN OF, THE 
USDEPARIMENT OF AGRICULTURE & 
Pan anes 7 
No. 235 < > 
Si 
Contribution from the Bureau of Entomology, L. O. Howarth Chiel 
June 24, 1915. Pe 
CONTROL OF DRIED-FRUIT INSECTS IN CALI- 
FORNIA.' 
By 
Wiuu1am B. Parker,? Entomological Assistant, Truck-Crop and Stored-Product Insect 
Investigations. 
INTRODUCTION. 
The State of California is especially adapted to the raising of fruits. 
It is manifest that only a part of the great crop which is annually 
produced may be marketed in a fresh condition, since it is impossible 
to preserve semitropical and other soft fruits for more than a very 
limited time in the fresh state. The fruit canneries and the dried- 
fruit industry have accordingly been formed with a view to the utiliza- 
tion of the surplus fruit and have assumed large proportions, the 
production of dried fruits for the State of California being estimated 
at 140,000 carloads annually. 
The importance of this industry and the fact that numerous in- 
quiries are made concerning the control of the insects which attack 
dried fruits warrant investigation of the insect enemies of dried fruits 
in California. ‘This was undertaken in a preliminary way in 1908, but 
owing to lack of funds was discontinued until 1911, at which time the 
writer, working under the direction of Dr. F. H. Chittenden, was 
assigned to this project. The investigation has been continued to 
the time of publication, and the preliminary notes are herewith sub- 
mitted. 
1 The observations in this bulletin and the data on life history and habits were obtained in central Cali- 
fornia, the author having his headquarters at Sacramento, but it is probable that these particulars do not 
differ materially in other fruit-growing sections of the United States, especially in the eastern and southern 
fruit regions. 
2 Resigned Aug. 31, 1914. 
NotEe.—The writer has been assisted in this investigation by the Roeding Fig Packing Co., the Rosenberg 
Co., Mr. D. L. Smith, of the Schuckl Co., the California Dried Fruit Exchange, the Robt. Gair Co., and 
the Petterson Carton Wrapping & Sealing Machine Co., who by their cooperation have greatly facilitated 
the prosecution of this project. He also wishes to acknowledge the assistance of Mr. R. E. Campoell, of the 
Bureau of Entomology, who brought to completion some of the experiments detailed in this paper. 
90548°—Bull, 235—15 
