The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-12-26
COMMISSIONER AND INSPECTOR.
dispute Between Baker and Brown
as to Fruit Pests.

w. n. Brown, insect Inspector for King
county, has written a communication TO
the Post-lnteiligencer in answer 10 the
recently published statement Of State
horticultural Commissioner j. E Baker.
Mr. Brown says:
Have read in Saturdays issue of your
valuable journal Mr. i r Raker's YER
sion OF the infected Japanese orange con-
troVersy. wherein he states that said fruit
Is injected with insects which belong 10
eitrous fruit: II / get true conception
or his meaning they are insects that in
fest certain kinds Of fruits which can
oniy De grown In tropical or semi-trop-
ical climate, and can be OF no possible
injury In this climate.
IN justice 10 myself I wish TO state
that this was in no way the question that
Mr Baker was called on 10 decide He
conceded them 10 be AL that | claimed
them 70 De perntcious). from the fact Of
his oruering them fumigated l claimed
that the only method by which they could
De ext, minated was TO open the boxes.
take all the wrappers off and fumigate
Ihem with crude sulphur in an alright
room. AT this Mr. Baker demurred
claiming that ii was not necessary. In
order to Kill all insect life, either to omen
the boxes or take OF the wrappers. This
was the cause and the only cause which
occaSioned a disbursement
Il soon found that Comrade Bakers
sword was the supreme court and that I
was the lower court; therefore I surren-
oered the point by fumigating according
TO the instructions OF said higher court
This method proving a dismal failure as
lar as Ill ing the pests is concerned, and
Mr.. BAKER being aware of this fact, tries
TO console the fruit growers of this great
cSmmonwealth by telling them that these
insects are citrous pests and can do no
harm TO their fruit. In regard 10 this
decision am again ready 10 cross swords
with Mr.. Baker. not as to their being of
citrous origin. but as such some have
Il tn of
Wasninston's greatest industries. / make
this statement from the fact that the San
Jose scale is of semi tropical origin and
the chaff scale. which is to be found on
the oranges III question, are of Oriental
origin.
Nevertheless, / hold myself in readi-
ness 10 show that the same scale is in at
least TWO yards in this city and county
where they have gained a foothold TO
such an extent that the lease of life given
TO the shrub seems not 10 exceed one
year. The mealy bug in question, If my
memory serves me right. Is to be found
on the cactus growing in some of the
deserts of Mexico TO such an extent that
they are gathered for the purpose of max
ing cccEineal dye There are two species
OF sca.e 10 be found on these oranges the
red and purple scale. / know something
OF their life history and agree with MIR
Baker that there are two species on those
oranges that / never saw before. They,
however, are easily clasSed as being of the
San Jose family. IL seems to me that
to permit this class OF insect to be scat
tered broadcast over this land OF ours
from the Orient in order 10 encourage our
commercial relations is 10 my mind like
turning domiciled ion loose In order
10 see wae;her or not he had a perverted
nature.
As an American citizen. / feel like
encouraging any and everything that will
add 10 our interest, morally. socially or
commercially. But I 10 in all eandor be-
lisve that this country has been made a
cesspool long enough. II is time to call
a halt. In ealing this halt iat us say 10
the world. whether IL is the lower or high
er order Of animal life. We want your best
or We want ncne. ! may he called a
crank; IL so. all right; | wish 10 go on
record as such"