PRESENT STATUS OF THE PROBLEM. V 
practical manner, and who consequently get the best results. It is 
now largely a matter of getting the owners of small orchards to 
follow a regular annual system of spraying their trees. 
The presence of San Jose scale has not onry resulted in a consider- 
able increase of information as to remedies and to improvements in 
the methods of culture which directh T relate to itself, but it has been 
a stimulus to improved methods and more efficient means of control 
of other common destructive insects, has demonstrated the necessity 
of watchfulness against the introduction of similar pests from foreign 
sources, and has led to active efforts in the direction of quarantine 
and inspection on the part of practical^ all of the several States of 
the Union. 
The control of the San Jose scale b} r parasitic and predaceous ene- 
mies is increasing all the time, but there seems to be no likelihood that 
either such natural enemies as are now in this countiy or those which 
may hereafter be imported will ever do more than merel} T lessen the 
abundance of the scale. In other words, from past experience and 
from a large acquaintance with other similar scale pests it is extremely 
improbable that even under the most favorable circumstances will such 
natural enemies reduce this scale as much as would one thoro treatment 
with the lime-sulfur wash or other standard remedy. The insect 
enemy of the scale can onl} T exist when it has scale food; hence a nor- 
mal balance is very soon reached in which the scale and natural enem} r 
fluctuate in relative abundance. A complete extermination of the 
scale insect or host will rarely if ever be accomplished, and there will 
probabh T always be enough scale present to cause spotted and unmark- 
etable fruit. This does not mean that such enemies are not going to 
be helpful. They will decrease the virulence and destructiveness of 
the scale, but to get clean fruit it will probably be always necessary 
to spray. A very few scale on a tree will cause spotted fruit even 
when they may not be abundant enough to do the tree itself material 
injury. The fact that a large, succulent scale insect like the fluted 
scale of California has been controlled by a ladybird enemy does not 
necessarily allow one to hope for the same result with the San Jose 
scale. The lad} T bird and other enemies introduced into California to 
control scales similar to the San Jose scale have not succeeded in the 
same measure at all. This statement is made to correct hopes which 
may be aroused by certain popular articles which have recently 
appeared on the subject of parasites. 
In brief, therefore, the San Jose scale must be recognized as a per- 
manent condition to be met in the growth of deciduous fruits. The 
greatest care should always be taken in the purchase of nursery stock 
to see that it is absolutely free from infestation, and preferably also 
that it carries with it a certificate of fumigation. Orchards should be 
sprayed according to well-established methods annually as soon as the 
