90 



OFFICIAL REPORT OF THE PROCEEDINGS OF THE 



had a fine mesh net fifty feet long stretched over the brush, as he 

 thought, for repair, but was surprised at seeing them begin to beat the 

 brush with sticks a hundred yards beyond the end of the net, driving 

 all the birds into it. They were snaring them, as they said, for the 

 markets. Mr. Sampson saw them take out 50 birds and they had some 

 300 caught as the result of a day's work. They were questioned, and 

 admitted having practiced snaring for some time, and had captured as 

 many as 2,000 birds in a day and sent them to the San Francisco 

 market as " reed-birds." No doubt there are many more practicing 

 this destruction in other parts of California, and if it is kept up the 

 results can be foreseen. It will result in an increase of pests on our 

 farms and consequent damage to the fruit-growing industry. Many 

 States have enacted strict and most commendable laws to protect the 

 native birds from such wanton slaughter. Why shall not California do 

 the same? It is a question vitally important to the fruit-grower of the 

 future. 



SUBSTITUTES FOR PARIS GREEN. 



Essay by PROF. C. W. WOODWORTH, of Berkeley. 



Paris green is practically the only substance that has been widely 

 and extensively used as a remedy for the codling moth. During the 

 last three or four years a great deal of complaint has been made, both 

 here and in the Eastern States, because of the failure to obtain the 

 same good results as formerly, even by orchardists who do very careful 

 work and have previously had the best results. During this same 

 period there has been a decided change in the microscopic appearance 

 of most of the Paris green on the market, indicating a large amount of 

 adulteration on the one hand and a different and less satisfactory method 

 of manufacture on the other. The situation became so thoroughly unen- 

 durable that the Agricultural Experiment Station, after obtaining the 

 opinion of many of the entomologists of the various experiment sta- 

 tions, editors of a number of agricultural journals, and other interested 

 parties, has decided not to recommend the coming year the use of Paris 

 green at ail as an insecticide. 



Forms of Impurities. — Three distinct classes of unsatisfactory Paris 

 green can be recognized, which we would designate respectively, as 

 bogus, adulterated, and low-grade Paris green. 



Bogus Paris Green. — Under this title is included that series of out- 

 and-out imitations of Paris green in which the color is produced from 

 other substances than copper, and which usually contain no trace 

 either of copper or of arsenic. They are usually perfectly harmless to 

 the plant and to the insect, and quite decidedly cheaper than Paris 



