— 181 — 



visit and found to be seriously infested. A number of trees were treated 

 by Mr. Zane last spring with the rosin solution, as recommended for 

 winter use. He had the surface soil removed and poured five gallons 

 of the solution around each three-year-old tree. Most of the trees so 

 treated made a very good growth, but upon examination we found a few 

 aphis on the roots of most of the trees. Of course this treatment would 

 not be practicable upon old bearing trees. Irrigation or submersion will 

 be of no use, as one of the orchards during high water last winter was 

 overflowed for over three days, and during my visit we found the roots 

 infested. I failed to find any trace of them on the branches. It ap- 

 pears to be entirely subterraneous. The aphis is very slightly covered 

 with wool and not as broad as the apple form. 



Trees for new orchards and nursery stock should be carefully inspected 

 and dipped in whale-oil soap solution, as suggested above. The prin- 

 cipal point of attack is the small fibrous roots, which they destroy. 

 They also collect on the under side of the large roots near the stem and 

 at the junction of the lateral roots. No swelling is produced by their 

 attacks. This appears to be a serious pest, and will receive attention 

 during the coming season. 



I desire to thank the officers of the Customs, Surveyor, Naval, and 

 Appraiser's departments of San Francisco, also the officials of the 

 different docks, for their valuable aid and assistance in my quarantine 

 duties. 



Respectfully submitted. 



ALEXANDER CRAW, 

 Quarantine Officer and Entomologist. 



November 17, 1894. 



BENEFICIAL INSECTS. 



REPORT ON THE COLONIZATION IN THIS STATE OF PARASITES AND 

 BENEFICIAL INSECTS, PARTICULARLY THE AUSTRALIAN LADYBUG, 

 RHIZOBIUS VENTRALIS. 



To Hon. Ellwood Cooper, President, and the Honorable State Board of 

 Horticulture: 



Gentlemen: Under your instructions, I visited the various counties 

 and made an examination of a number of orchards where colonies of 

 the "black ladybird" (Rhizobius ventralis) were placed, and herewith 

 submit my report. 



Considering the season of the year and the condition of the weather 

 just previous to the examination, I believe we can look for good results 

 during the coming summer, when the weather will be more propitious. 

 In your own experience, with the original colony of this ladybird, it was 

 over a year before they increased in numbers, and about seventeen months 

 before you sent out colonies. As you are aware, a number of very strong 

 colonies were liberated around Pomona in the latter part of last Septem- 

 ber and early in October. 



On December 11th, in company with John Scott, County Horticultural 

 Commissioner, and Inspector James Loney, I inspected several orchards 

 in Pomona, which showed indifferent but not discouraging results, for in 

 most instances the trees are very large and the plantations are extensive, 



13-FG. 



