The herald., 1893-11-19
THAT CHRONOLOGICAL CONFLICT
Mr.. Cooper's Arrangement and
Prof. Riley's Reply.
The Correspondence in Full Between
the Gentlemen Named.
both Sides of the Long Contrcversy-The
Profsssor's Reply to tho President
Of the State Board of
horticulture.

Inc RACINE Rural PreHa puDll6nob tne
following correspondence between
President Ellwood Cooper of the state
board Of horticulture and Prof. Riley,
entomologist Of the federal department
OF agriculture:
PRESIDENT CooPER's LETTER TO sEcRE-
TARY MORTON.
SANTA BARBARA, Aug. 2, 1892.
Hon: J, Sterling Morton, Secretary of Agri-
culture.
DEAR SIR: returned from San Fran
cisco few days ago and now taxa up
the subject OF Prof. Riley.
did not see the. Hon. Frank McCop-
pin in the city. / met with serious
accident by being thrown from car
riage. Our secretary told me that Mr..
McCoppin handed to you an envelope
containing the correspondence or con-
troversy that had taken place between
Prof. Riley and Mr.. McCoppin, go that
will not refer to this part OF the sub
ject.
tried to get copy OF the anonymous
letter referred to in my former note, but
as yet have not received it. Hope
may before many days. The copy that
l had was forwarded to the Hon. ]. M.
Dusk. I enclose herewith the copies of
two others to which Irefer you. They
are marked Nos. / and 2. In the letter
of Mr.. Willis to u5 in reply to our re-
quest that MI. Koebele be sent to Aus
tralia on second voyage to search for
parasites, it was stated that Australia
was not the native home OF the woolly
red and black scales, etc., ETC., but on
my inquiry asking for the native place
of said insects, no answer was forth
coming. But in communication No. I
it is asserted that both the red and
black scales are natives of southern
Europe. In the October letter marked
No. 2, Riley equivocates. He says: ut
is not proved that red scale Is in
digenous in Australia" These letters
and others were written solely to have
the effect of preventing any other
search. They contain statements by
intimation that are not true. First page
No. l, mot such power for good as
numerous brilliant-hued statements"
The state board never made any state
ments OF any kind. With regard to the
red scale, see Koebele'e report. 1t can
be traced in Australia to at least 80 years
before it's appearance in this country.
But it is not this; it is the tone OF the
correspondence to support the effort to
OICok uR bhO Auiphpl 4AN0obikotiOn. III
all the correspondence, in everything
gathered from the chronological depart
ment, not q word of encouragement, not
q single thing granted in our efforts. 1t
was the same regarding the 'svedalia.
CATION Of Mr., KoebslS ! report VIII Ger.
tainly open the eyes Of any one who
cares to go into it. What has become
OF those numerous insects that were sent
to Coquillett? Ii / had not most posi-
lively directed Mr.. Koebele to divide
the shipments--to send one part to
Coquillett, one part to me and one part
/, to the Office in San Francisco there
would have been none here today.
The general belief here is that all
these shipments we're to be allowed to
die. just as soon as they came to me,
and were reported in good order, then
the trouble began at the San Francisco
custom house. We we're charged with
taking out insects that were consigned
to Coquillett, and an order was written
O. the collector that we were to receive
none of the Australian coneignments.
You are probably aware OF the fact
that 1t is NO easy matter to ship insects
30 many thousands of miles, and be ON
the voyage such long time and yet
live, multiply and do the service intend
ed. II they were to take the ordinary
course and go through the customs house
as other goods, no parasites would ever
have have been here from that country.
Coquillett did not write much; still he
wrote two or three letters-the same dis
couragements. Ali the articles had sim
liar expressions, such as ''every scientific
entomoiog;st or every economic entomol-
ogist knew it would be failure," etc.,
etc. These articles were of weekly occur
renee. can send them to you if you
wish them. l call your attention to the
Hheet marked No. 3-Kce-
bele's bill. Our secretary gave an item
lied list OF his expenses I'd a friend in |
San Gabriel Mr.. Coquillet, was in his
office shortly afterward, and asked for it.
1t was given to him, aud appeared in
the Los Angeles Times, as per sheet
marked No. B. as above referred to. No
other copy OF said account was sent out.
DR.. Woodbridge will make affidavit to
the above circumstance if you wish it. |
call your attention to the editorial on |
this subject. i do not think the depart
ment is justified in keeping entomolo-
gists who employ their time in mousing
around to hunt up news to have pub
lished in order to defame the character !
Of a brother officer. One would suppose
that the entomologist would have kept
track OF the insects be turned loose,
especially when the orchard was almost
IN sight OF his own dooryard. 1t is not
more than six weeks since an Orange
county paper published that there was
not, or could not be, found either in Los
Angeles or Orange counties one single
'teel-blue ladybird. As Coquillet was in
me enemles' camp, as matter of course
III these papers were sent to him with
The articles marked.
call your attention to the sheet
marked No. 4, containing a little history
II the said ladybird. Also beg to refer
'ou 70 the two newspaper articles on the
ublect marked Nos. and 6. also en-
lose copy of my letter to w. B.
joquillett, dated August lst, No. z. |
egret exceedingly to trouble you with
" these things, but there is no other
vay for you to get history of this bus
ness. You will see by the report of No.
X wat the board of supervisors had
akenthe matter of the guardianship OF
ohm Scott, and placed the ladybirds in
he hands of Coquillett. / am yerv
orry to write you that under the cir
umstances we cannot trust such i'm
ortant business in his hands. I have
rdered your entomologist. Alexander
raw, to proceed at once to Los Angeles
nd guard this orchard. The parasites
re state property, we are the guardians
I the fund appropriated.
The whole difficulty with pyof P;ax,