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Mr. Kimball: I would like to ask Mr. Craw how extensive has been 

 the distribution of the Rhizobius and Vedalia. 



Mr. Craw: The Rhizobius was distributed about a year ago. There 

 were nearly five hundred colonies sent out at that time to different 

 parts of the State. Last June there was another distribution and a 

 great many colonies were collected, but it was during the strike. The 

 colonies for the northern part of the State had to be distributed south. 

 Another distribution was made in September. These were sent all 

 over the State. Altogether there has been over a million beetles 

 sent out from Mr. Cooper's ranch during the past six months. The 

 effects in Mr. Cooper's ranch are more noticeable than in any other 

 section, because they have been longer there. There were something 

 like ten pairs placed there in May, 1892. These bred until they had 

 spread all over Mr. Cooper's orchard, and I believe you can hardly find 

 a single bug in his orchard to-day. The trees are recovering. They 

 are clean and healthy, and the orchards which were first cleaned are 

 now full of fruit. They spread from Mr. Cooper's orchard to adjoining 

 orchards, and they cleaned those out also. The trees are in better shape 

 than ever before. I am sorry, however, to report that there is a small 

 parasite which has attacked the larvae of ladybirds in Los Angeles 

 County. The first that came into my possession were sent by Mr. Scott, 

 the Los Angeles Horticultural Commissioner. I placed them in a breed- 

 ing-box and hatched out the parasite. It is entirely new to the State. 

 These may limit to a certain extent the value of the ladybird as a scale 

 destroyer. Care will be taken not to distribute any ladybirds from the 

 district which is affected by that parasite. 



Mr. Muscott: I would ask Mr. Craw if any remedy has been found 

 for the root fungus. 



Mr. Craw: I don't know of any. The trouble appears to be all over 

 the State to some extent. 



Mr. Muscott: I would like to inquire of Mr. Craw whether the para- 

 site which he thinks is appearing upon the larvae of the ladybird is 

 doing the same work in Santa Barbara and other coast counties. 



Mr. Craw: We have not found those parasites in the larvae of the 

 ladybird in California. The larvae that Mr. Scott sent to me was the 

 first instance that I have known, and I have studied the ladybirds in 

 the State for eighteen or twenty years. 



Mr. Muscott: I would like to inquire further, whether Mr. Craw con- 

 siders that under dissimilar climatic conditions the Rhizobius would be 

 equally successful. For instance, in Santa Barbara County, where it 

 is cooler and more moist, I understand that they are doing very well, 

 but in the interior and the warmer localities, like San Bernardino 

 County, I understand that they have so far been a failure. 



Mr. Craw: I do not believe that there is anything in the conditions 

 of climate in the interior counties" that should act against the spread of 

 the Rhizobius. Ladybirds are doing good work in those sections, and I 

 have no reason to doubt but they will be equally effective in other sec- 

 tions as soon as used. 



Mr. Muscott: Can you explain the reason of the rapid disappearance 

 of the Rhizobius which you placed in our section? Careful examina- 

 tion fails to disclose the presence of a single Rhizobius. 



Mr. Craw: Well, San Bernardino is an extensive county. In the 

 western portion of the county there are thousands of acres of orchards, 



