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6 Trees, Plants, Weeds and Bugs Report to the State by County Horti cultural Commissioner W. E. Wilsie on History and Present Prospects of Horticulture in Imperial Valley, Presented January, 1910. I The water crossed the Internation- 1 al line and entered the Imperial Val ley on June 15, 1901. During that summer and fall, a few crops of sorghum and millet and a few watermelons and cantaloupes were raised. In the winter of 1901-2 the first bar ley and wheat were sowed. The crop ! was cut for hay and and went from one to three tons per acre. A number of hundred acres were seeded to alfalfa. It was a failure. During the summer of 1902, a large acreage was sown «to sorghum and Kaffir corn, Milo maize and Egyptian corn and millet. A little cotton was raised during the summer and pronounced by gov ernment experts to be excellent. ' The winter of 1902-3, a crop of bar ■ ley and wheat was raised by flooding i the fields that had crops the pre vious year, and many thousand acres were newly sown. The wheat was a good crop but the following spring all was struck by rust and no wheat , has been sown since. Large acreages were again seeded to alfalfa and all did well, marking the beginning of the dairy business in the valley. r f ' STOCK r In the fall of 1902, the first stock cattle and the first hogs for fatten* [ing were shipped into the valley. The i-flrst dairy cows came in during that t winter and the first creamery was •starfea- .? hee P C^ T1 * ! " durin ? th 9, "year 1905* , TREES AND PLANTS ,»In the spring of 1903, a carload of ; cottonwood and a few eucalyptus were ! planted. In 1904, several carloads of ! cottonwood poles were shipped in from j Yuma" and made into posts and cut- I tings and planted; also a few more | eucalyptus, mostly Rostrata. ■This spring was the beginning of i fruit trees and vine planting, a great 'many people planting a variety of •trees and vines around their homes, [oranges and lemon's included. A few i vineyards were planted and aspaYa jgusseed was sowed, this spring for future planting. I The springß of 1905 and 1906, plant ings were' made in small ways, but on account of the break in the Colo jrado River and unsettled conditions 'generally, planting was postponed un i til 1907. NOXIOUS WEEDS I This being an absolutely new coun ;' try, all grain, etc., for planting had ito be shipped in and these first ship ments of grain for tseed introduced 'many weed seeds that since have be jcome serious. Among the weeds in nitroduced lv this way were wild nius jtard seed which came In barley. It 'I looked quite serious at one time but jhas nearly been cleaned out- by the JAphls (Hrasslca). Wild sunflower came In barley; dodder came in al ifalfa seed; Johnson grass In alfalfa land sorghum seed. Cockleburr was H introduced from the mountains by j stock. Wild, morning glory was in trodu'MJd in hay. Bermuda grass was bow.ii on the canal banks by the I California Development Company to I hold the banks. A weed that is com 1 ' mouly known as wild asparagus, or 'Mexican tare, but which Mr. Neff says 7ia "thorny aster" came down wkn the water. ■ JKiuK a desert country, new, and j the overflow of the Colorado River causing great discouragement among the people, the weeds recelve*u very little attention and seed was scatter ed from one farm to another and from one field to another and to the public highways, along the canal banks and few farmers made any effort to keep them down. HORTICULTURAL COMMISSION Imperial County was organized in August, 1907. The break in the Colo rado River having been permanent- ' ly closed in February of that year, I confidence was being restored and the j acreage of trees and vines had been j considerably increased that spring. j Soon after the organization of the | County, the Board of Supervisors ap- j pointed a Horticultural Commission. ! The first work of the Board was to ! j see that the County was protected ; from insect pests and diseases that ; were prevailing in other parts of the ! country. Quarantine was placed on stock . from infected districts. An ordinance was drawn and passed prohibiting the j introduction of trees, vines, scions, ; boxes, ladders, etc., without inspec- ■ tion; also made it unlawful to im- j port vines, citrus trees, scions, buds, j etc., from north of the norti line of i San Bernardino, Kern and S&n Luis j Obispo counties to prevent the intro- 1 Juction of White FJy pf Phylloxera | I'rom that section; also, from Florida: qr J^ouisjana. ' Th? Board fo,und, on examination, j ' that oranges and lemons were being shipped into the County infested with ! red and purple scale. Notices were : posted in every place where fruit was offered for sale. Fruit found To be Infested was either burned or re turned to the shipper, a few vines were burned and a few citrus trees returned the first year. ' In September, 1908, an ordinance against noxious weeds was drawn by the Horticultural Commission and passed by the Supervisors, and the wild morning glory was placed on the list. During the fall of 1908, an Inspec tion was made of all trees and vines growing in the County for condition and care; also to list the same, as well as to make a list of the loca tion of all patches of wild morning glory and Johnson grass. The following is a list of the trees, vines and plants found that fall: NURSERY 1908 Orange, 138,000; grapes, 29,800; date pa1m.i1 2,875; gum, 588,000; pome granite, 75; walnut, 300; fig, 250; elm, 4000; fan leaf, 3,500; pepper, 15,6«0; ash, COO. TREES AND VINEB, 1908 Oranges, 10,341; lemons, 1,420; ap ricots, 21,818; peach, 1,555; pear, 2410; cherry, 9; figs, 2,337; pomelo, 52; ap ple, 745; olive, 209; plum, 430; prune, 255; quince, 77; pomegranate, 372; persimmon, 4; kumquot, 2; juju, 1; guava, 6; tangerine, 8; nectarine, 00; i crab apple, 16; banana, 18; plneap- j pie, 22; rhubarb, 6; grapes, 2,074 acres; blackberries, 7,898; dewberries, 1067; strawberries 30; raspberries, 10; loganberries, 57; asparagus, 155 acres; tomatoes, 5 acres; Jamaica, 20; wal nuts, 69; almond, 295; pecans. 2; pea nuts, 100 acre*; cactus, 159; cotton plants, 2253; rubber, 'V; date palm, 2,303; fau leaf. 1,238; ash, 1000; , or namental. 3364; magnolia, 3; locust, PROGRES9 AND OPPORTUNITIES EDITION 1 acre; cottonwood. 3 1-2 acres; chestnut, 3j gUnl,, 105 acres; grape fruit. 389. GRAND TOTAL 1908 49,316 fruit and nut trees. 6,816 ornamental and shade. 109 1-2 acres eucalyptus (includ ing nil individual trees). 100 acres peanuts. 166 acres asparngus. 5 acres tomatoes. !»,332 berry vines. 2.074 acres grapes. 2.253 cotton plants. NURSERY 168,425 trees. 611,700 gum, ornamental and shade trees. The horticultural statistics for the next year are as follows: NURSERY 1909 Orange. 257,000; grapes, 127,200 date palm, 19,625; eucalyptus, 93,550; pomegranate. 7i>; lemons, 50; wal nut, 300; fig. 275; elm, 2,000; fan leaf palm. 5,500; pepper, 5700; ash, 600; peach, 10,000. TREES AND VINES 1909. Orange, 17.155; lemons, 1,843; ap ricots, 29,962; peach, 2,730; pear, 8749; cherry, 14; figs. 3,662; pomelo, 59; apple, 1,114; olive, 7,994; plum, 949; prune, 391; quince, 201; pomegranate, •!>4B; persimmon, 10; kumquot, 7; juju, 1; guava, 16; tangerine, 14;' nectar ine, 67; crab apple, 17; banana, 18; grapes, 2,212 acres; blackberries, 9914; dewberries, 3002; strawberries, 3; 935; loganberries, 40; raspberry, 20; aspar agus, 167 1-2 acres; walnuts, 75; al monds, 1,242; pecans, 2; cactus, 185; cotton, 736 acres; rubber trees, 4; date palms, 6,975; fan -leaf palm, 3,648; ash, 6,977; ornamental and shade, 56,415; magnolia, 17; locust, 1,239; grape fruit, 425; chestnut, 3; loquot, 5; cot tonwoods* 3 1-2 acres; Burbank's phe norninal berry, 2; eucalyptus '300 acres • GRAND TOTAL, 1909 84,168 fruit and nut trees. • £8.485 ornamenta.l and shade trees. - COO &ci : es eucalyptus (including in cluding individual trees), i 167 1-2 acres asparagus. 16,893 berry vines. 2,212 acres grapes. 736 acres cotton. Nursery 1909 287,025 trees. 380,575 gum, ornamental and shade trees. 127,200 grape vines. COTTON Cotton was first raised on a com mercial scale the past season, 1909. There were nearly 800 acres planted. There were a number of failures for various reasons; some partial failures and a number of successes. The fail ures were mostly due to the ground not being in a condition (level) to ir rigate. There were some good fields pro duced, ginning out as high as one and a half bales per acre. The con servative farmers believe It will be a profitable crop and one that can be used to rotate with alfalfa with pro fit. Nothing has troubled it so far. The quarantine order is being en forced very rigidly. ASPARAGUB Asparagus was first produced in 1905 and is proving quite a success, good crops being produced and no runt or other disease having appeared to trouble it. A FEW BAD WEEDS A few bad weeds that are not on I the noxious list were found. Wild mustard, malva par vi flora), malva (white), horseweed (Lepttlon Cana , dense), sweet clover, (M^Uldluh Of flclamells) and fox tall. Foxtail and nut grass (Cyperus Esculcntus) were in the date orchards, (two locations.) PREVENTION OF WEED8 J i Having satisfied themselves that , most weed seed are Introduced In other seeds and grains, the Hoard baa , decided to go to the root of the evil and stop the introduction. An order has been made thnt nil grain and seed brought Into tho county sh.all pass through the hands of one of the Board, or an inspector and if found to con tain noxious weed seed, it shal' '>o shipped out of the county. We have In mind the testing of til:* sped so far as we deem necessary for germinating power as a means of education to the farmers, looking to ward the time when they can absd lutely demand a guarantee with ev- I ;«ry pound of seed shipped into the ■£oilnt>'. PARASITES I Since January first, four colons o£ ■ parasites for the cabbage or alfalfa • worm have ; been received and liber ated in cabbage patches and alfalfa fields, and a consignment of para sited pupa to be liberated when para sites are hatched and developed. ALFALFA LEAF WEEVIL During the latter part of the year, | information was brought from Utah j that an insect called the alfalfa leaf weevil was doing a considerable amount of damage to alfalfa in that state. I immediately took steps to , investigate the report and stopped \ shipments of alfalfa seed from com- I ing into the county from the state! of Utah. . | Prof. F. G. Titus, of Logan, Utah, ; has this to say about the weevil "At a date not many years hence, the al falfa leaf weevil will be one of the worst pests in the United States. "The we.evil was brought from Southern Europe, where, for many years, it has been a serious pest. We cannot possibly eliminate it. The best we can do is to check it. We have estimated that in Salt Lake county this year, it has done three hundred thousand dollars damage. The modern means of transporta tion, including trains and steamships, AN IMPERIAL VINEYARD will add to its distribution to all parts of the country, as from three to five weeks during the summer that it haß wings and can fly. It la now confined to Salt Lake county and a part of an adjoining county." IMPERIAL COUNTY BUGB(NATIVE) Imperial County, being a region by Itself and different in many ways from the mountain and coast valleys, It seems possible that the Insect life found here may be different from that found la other regions of the State, and that w« may have here insects (hat may prove Injurious that in other locations do not, and vice versa. It seemed best that that we know as soon as possible what insects we had. With that end In view, the Hoard of Horticulture asked an appropriation from the Supervisors of $100.00 to offer In prizes for the best collection of Imperial county insects collected be fore December Ist, 1910. The Su pervisors did not see fit to grant tho request, so the Board of Horticulture NURSERY ARBOR, EDGEWILD RAN CH made arrangements for the prizes, and some of the schools, as well as in dividuals, have taken up the work. We hope by next December to know ..OUJething about the insect life in the county. EXPERIMENT STATION At the last session of the State Legislature an appropriation of six thousand dollars was made for inves tigations directed toward the solution of difficulties and problems affecting the growing of crops, etc. in this coun ty, and the regents of the University of California were authorized to es tablish at some suitable point a branch agricultural experiment station. A Mr. Packard sent from the Uni versity is now on the ground and he will have some experiments carried on by the farmers and will also do the preliminary work looking toward the establishment of a permanent Ex perimentation Station, when sufficient funds shall have been appropriated to carry on the work. GENERAL CONDITIONS : Conditions in the County from a Horticultural and agricultural stand point are improving. This is more I noticeable this year than ever be fore. Better cultivation is seen in all parts of the county. There is a thrift in the county at the present time that can be felt in the very air, and I predict that the future will bring good reports from Imperial county. . No scale was found and no disease except some gum on ..some Granges, apricots and peppers. Cottonwoods were found to be dying In all parts of the valley. Trees in a large majority of cases were poorly cared for, but showed a surprising growth for the conditions under which they were attempting to live. In a few cases, trees had been well cared for and they showed health and thrift. Johnson Grass Th« inspection «f WS revealed tn* Saturday, March 1 2, 1 9 1 tf. fact that at least 45 farms hod John* son grass growing on them and that a very small per cent of the people of the valley knew what it waß. One, farm of 80 acres had patches all over it, carried by dairy cows from a small patch that had been planted some be* fore. The Board had some trouble in handling this case and finally put It under quarantine, kept the water off during Iho past season and kept it pastured closely so no grass has grown. It will be planted to barjey this winter and we hope to kill It 1 next summer. _ . The Johnson grass problem seemed very serious, but we found that it comes in other seed rather than the water, relieving us of our worst fear, but making it imperative that we plant only pure seed. Johnson grass, being one of the jointed root plants, can be killed only by close and constant cultivation, which makes it a very serious pest, for the farmer is so liable to let it, go some time during the season and j undo all he has accomplished up to jthat time. ■ Having worked with Johnson grass I for two years and seeing how bard It is to get the farmer to attend to it, the Hoard has adopted the follow ing plan: N Having decided it will tafae eighteen months to get rid of W*e seed-stock roots and be able to kill it, we place thirty-six cards in ike hands of the farmer who has Johnpon grass, and authorize him to cut the Johnson grass twice a month on stat ed days, and send one of these cards into the office the same day, stating that it was cut on that day. The of ' fice will enter this in a book kept for the purpose, sign it as received, and return it to him as a receipt that he has done his duty to date. If he fails to send in the card, a man is sent out at his expense; if he re ports affirmatively when he has not cut it, the Commissioner then exter minates It at the farmer's expense. This system will be used for other weeds as well. During the Johnson grass investi gations of the summer of 1909, the Hoard was 'impressed with the rapid increase of other weeds, and in July the following weeds were placed on the noxious list: dodder, wild son flower, cockle bun* and wild aspara gus. | ." In September, the county was di vided into six Horticultural Districts . and a Weed Inspector appointed in each district, whose duty it was to see that the weeds In his district were cleaned up and burned. The Hoard of Supervisors were asked, as a matter of policy, to clean the weeds In the County Highways, which they agreed to do. The water companies were notified to clean their rights of way, as were the railroad companies. All took hold of jhe work and did the best they could for the short time they had this fall and will easily pick up • the work as the weeds begin to grow a in the spring. INSEOT PESTB The insects found doing damage in the county are the aphis, alfalfa and cabbage worm, leaf hopper, thripps, cut worm, squash bug, date scale and rose scale. . During some seasons, the melon, aphis, (Oosßypi) have done consider* able damage-. Last season i tin at tempt was nuido to ship In a'quan tity of the common lady bugs, but ' It was found to be too late' and only ' a small quantity, waa shipped.'. Lady.