The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1899-08-24
IS INSPECTOR AT LARGE
Professor Cooley Talks About the
San Jose Scale.
is DIFFICULT TO IDENTIFY
Dealers Hands, Injected Fruit at Their
Own Peril - Farmers Fear That
Frost Will Ruin Their
Crops.

Bozeman, Aug. 22.--Much has been
stated lately with reference to the San
Jose scale. and the discovery of it in
various fruit stores in Butte. Profess
sor Cooley, entomoogist of the expert
ment station and inspector at large
of the state beard of horticulture of
Montana, has kindly given the Stand
ard reporter an interview on the sub
ject, in which a great deal of light
is thrown on this important subject.
in which the whole state is interested,
especially the fruit dealers, whose
pocketbooks are liable to be affected
if fruit damaged with the scale is found
in their stores.
Il note, Professor Cooley, in a recent
communication, prompted evidently by
some uniformed person, that Director
Emery is inspector at large for the
state, in the inspection of orchards and
fruits. How is this? / had supposed
that this was a position that was to
be filled, in fact has been filled, by the
appointment of an expert, scientifically
versed in the subject of Chronology, that
the first appointee was the entomolo-
gist of the station, DR.. E. V. Wilcox,
that after he resigned to fill govern
ment position at Washington, DIR.
Traphagen of the station was appointed
in the light Of his experience as a chem
list, his duties then being properly on
the lines of fumgation of fruits, ETC.,
that his appointment was temporary,
with the understanding that when the
successor of DR.. Wilcox was on the
ground he would then discharge the
duties of this important position. Am
l right"
quite right. I was appointed in
spector at large almost coincident with
my arrival in the state, and have been
discharging the duties of the office to
the best of my ability and with the
means at hand
What experience have you had in
the study of the San Jose scale'?"
Il have been familiar with this insect
since 1894. Have made a very ex-
haustive study of the subject to en-
able me to distinguish it from other
scales, have seen 1T repeatedly in the
fields in Massachusetts, and have era
Dictated 1t successfully from orchards
and nurseries"
Can an inexperienced person distin-
guish it from other scales?''
Give an inexperienced person mic
roscope of powerful magnitude and
specimens of the San Jose scale and
the various other scales infesting vege-
tation, and it would be the boldest
guess work to state authoritiveIy which
was and which was not the San Jose.
Up to 1895 there were not to exceed a
half dozen scientists in the United
States able to unhesitatingly and I'M
qualifiedly identify this scale. There are
several cases on record in the United
States where state entomologists have
been forced to resign their positions
by pronouncing and destroying trees
affected with scales supposed to be
San Jose which were afterward prov
en- not to be such. 1t sometimes hap
pens that fools rush in where angels
fear to tread, and they have had to
pay the penalty.
What is your compensation as state
Inspector
Il understand that S. a day is the
only amount | can charge the state.
and out of this l must defray travelling
expenses of all kinds; the fund is very
small and l am only able to accomplish
as much as l do by the courtesy of
other board members and inspectors
who are very carefully outstanding
their allowance, SO as to divide with
me, and to allow me more than go days
time in which to work the large terri
tory involved in Montana
Il understand a car was recently re-
ceived in Butte in which was fruit in
Tested with San jose scale and Goblin
moth. Is this a fact?"
In my official investigations, l ran
on to and destroyed fruits infested with
Goblin moth. l saw nothing on this
particular stock that made me think
there was San Jose scale. The deal
ers, wholesale and retail, in the state
have been given to understand that
they handle any infected fruit at their
peril, that we will legally destroy all
such detected wherever it may be.
The experiment station is very gen.
erously giving the state my services for
a large part of the time. free gratis,
l will do all the work possible with the
means at hand, more cannot be expect
ed. 1t is simply impossible to person
ally inspect every package of fruit en-
tering Montana; it could not be done
with an appropriation of $4,000, for 1t
would mean resident inspector at ev-
cry point of receipt the opening of ev-
cry package and handling every indi-
vidual piece of fruit to decide if 1t is
clean. The best we can do is to dc
as well as we can: to interest the pub
lie and the dealers in fruits as WELL as
their interests are all identical in the
premises"
The last few days have been very
81 80 ,.r No, L. a,i-,