The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-06-03
FIGHT ON coDDLlNe. MOTH.
Montana State Board Of Horticulture
vii Try to Exterminate il,

Montana State Board Of Horticulture
Wi Try to Exterminate It.
Helena, June 1.-The Montana state
board of horticulture is making a
most determined fight to drive the
-coddling moth from the orchards Of
Montana. It is a large undertaking,
but the members believe that success
will crown their efforts. So far the
only section Of the state suffering
from the pest is in the vicinity of Mis-
soula, and that is where the board is
operating. In 1901 the fact that the
orchards near Missoula were affected
with the coddling moth was proved.
and at It's last meeting the board de-
termined to devote all Of its eneeries
to eliminating the pest.
The work began this spring, when
every pear and apple tree in the dis
trict was pruned and then scraped.
The undertaking was a big one, but
even when that was finished, the
work was not completed. All Of the
trees will be sprayed three times, and
when that is dcne, it is hoped the
moth will be under control. Inspector
at Large e. M. Brandegee of Helent,
has charge of the spraying, and he
went to Missoula a few days ago to
begin the work. 1t will take about
five weeks to go over the trees.
G. M. Allen, member of the board
from the fourth district, and J.. o.
Reed, the inspector for the Missoula
district, have each done most efficient
work in the work of ex~terminating
the coddling moth, and they will not
cease their efforts until they have &C
complished what they set cut to do.
1t was at their suggestion that the
work was undertaken in the district,
and If success is the result, to them
will belong much Of the praise. The
fact that the month is confined to one
district, encourages the members of
the board to believe if it is EXTENT
mated from that place, it can be kept
cut of the state.
1t is estimated that the coddling
moth costs the o%rchardists of New
York state 81, 200 a year in the loss
of crops. Other states likewise suf-
fer, the coast states being heavy los
ers. The moth has been known for
hundreds Of years, and wherever it
has appeared the result has been great
loss.
The pest was introduced into Mon
tana by the use of secondhand boxes
that came from infected districts.
This is one of the surest ways of
spreading the moth. 1t is also spread
through the use of cars in which in
fected fruit has been shipped. An ef-
fort is going to be made to compel
the fumigation of all cars in which
fruit is transported in order if pos
sible to stop this source of infection.
During the past year 500 boxes of
of different sorts have been CON
LII anu OCSIAOyCu Wy IuC Null
tanaI inspectors. When the total ship
ments of fruits into Montana in a
year is considered, this is not consid-
cred a large amount. Shippers to
have learned that bad fruit
will net be allowed to pass in this
and they are careful in what
they send. AS a result comparatively
little is sent here, but the poor stuff
goes into the Dakotas, where there
is no system Of inspection.
When Colorado first went into ap-
pie growing, it was believed that the
coddling moth could not exist there,
owing to the elevation. This has
to be incorrect, and Colorado
Is now compelled to fight the pest.
While the moths are slower of propa-
in Montana than in warmer
climates, they propagate and thrive
nevertheless. For that reason the
on the moth is being actively
made.