7 



the Board had to encounter, and it is pertinent in this place to mention 

 that the appropriation last made for the expenses of the Board, the time 

 between March 31 and June 30, 1887, was overlooked, so that we had no 

 funds for April, May, and June; all expenses incurred during those months 

 remain unpaid. The deficiency should be met by a special appropriation 

 at the next meeting of the Legislature. 



We turned back to the State Treasury $2,762 71 of unused funds, and 

 yet by an oversight we could not recover for the expenses during said three 

 months. I refer you to page 17 of that report. 



The appropriation is totally inadequate for the demands. I as a mem- 

 ber of the Board have been called upon to advance money to procure ma- 

 terials, because parties are unwilling to wait so long to get a warrant, and 

 then submit to a discount to get the cash. A certain sum of money should 

 always be in the hands of the Treasurer for immediate use. 



I submit for the action of this convention to adopt some measure asking 

 the Legislature for a larger appropriation, and a different disposal of the 

 funds appropriated. 



I recommended on page 161 further consideration of the subject of dis- 

 tribution of fruits. Since that convention there has been organized a Dried 

 Fruit Association to protect the dried fruit interests, as also raisins and 

 nuts. The fullest discussion is invited on this subject. 



It is also important that this convention should have the benefit of the 

 result of the auction plan as practiced by the California Fruit Union of 

 sales of shipments of ripe fruit in eastern markets for the last crop. 



I visited in July the cold storage warehouse of Mr. Allegretti at West 

 Berkeley, and was well pleased with the apparent success of his system. 

 I am satisfied that it is worthy of our careful consideration. 



I recommend that the subject of protection to fruit industry be omitted 

 from our programme at this convention. 



INSECT PESTS. 



The ravages of the Icerya purchasi become more and more alarming. 

 The gas remedy appears to be given up, and, so far as I have been informed, 

 no radical warfare has been made against the pest. 



A committee was appointed at our last convention to visit the orchards 

 of Sherman P. Stow, and the Hollister estate, and report to the convention. 

 The report made was not satisfactory to the citizens of Santa Barbara 

 County, and was severely criticized, because it decided nothing. 



A gentleman by the name of Steele has been experimenting in the Hol- 

 lister estate orchard, for some three months or more, with the Ongerth Tree 

 Protector. I have watched the progress very closely, and conclude as fol- 

 lows: That washing the trunks thoroughly with the undiluted mixture will 

 prevent the insects from crawling up the trunk, and that the tree is not 

 injured by the washing. Spraying the top with a solution of four gallons 

 of water to each gallon of the mixture will kill 95 per cent of every insect 

 that it touches. It is manifest that vigorous work, such as is being done 

 by Mr. Steele, will clean the orchard to such an extent that keeping the 

 pest in subjection will not be a serious matter. 



Mr. Steele has a steam apparatus with which he can work four to six 

 sprayers at the same time, and is now engaged in cleaning the orchard at 

 a fixed price per tree, and proposes to go from orchard to orchard and com- 

 plete the work, so long as he is encouraged by the owners. 



