26 BIENNIAL REPORT 



they are capable of doing and have done, have not yet been found in Mon- 

 tana. Dr. J. A. Lintner has compiled a list of three hundred and fifty insects 

 known to feed on apple alone. True, only a fractional part of this number 

 need be looked upon as serious enemies to this tree, but we can safely 

 state that the number of species known to be serious enemies to fruit culture 

 and which are liable to be introduceti into this state, is upward of a hun- 

 dred. The importance, then, of a careful and scientific supervision of the 

 orchards of the state is apparent. In most cases pests can be stamped out 

 before they gain a foothold if they are discouraged in time, and a careful 

 inspection and fumigation of all imported nursery stock is the best safe- 

 guard we know of for our protection against the introduction of more pests. 



The two most impotant insects that Montana has to fear are the noto- 

 rious San Jose scale and the codling moth. Either one of these insects, 

 alone, to say nothing of the numerous other species liable to be introduced, 

 is of enough importance to warrant the maintenance of rigorous inspection 

 and quarantine regulations. Practically the only means of distribution the cod- 

 ling moth has is the fruit packages carried from state to state. Possibilities 

 of it being introduced on nursery stock are practically wanting. On the 

 other hand, the most probable way of the San Jose scale being introduced 

 is on nursery stock, since this insect is primarily a bark infesting species. 

 We cannot abandon the inspection of fruits or nursery stock. 



The nurseries of the state, so far as they have been visited by the 

 writer, are in prime condition. No insects of a dangerous nature liable to be 

 transmitted with the stock were found, and the trees showed every sign 

 of health and vigor. 



REPORT OF INSPECTORS. 



The first fruit trees planted in what is now known as Flathead county 

 were brought in by the late George M. Lakin from Puyallup, Washington, 

 In the spring of 1886. Of these trees there are now one Red June and one 

 Red Astrachan apple trees living, also one Pond's Seedling plum. All the 

 others succumbed to the severe winters or climatic conditions peculiar to 

 this region. In the spring of 1887 a number of farmers ordered trees from 

 a Geneva, N. Y., nursery. Among those receiving trees that spring we're 

 John M. Foy, Richard Greig,David Bigler, Asher Bros., and D. J. Plume, in 

 the vicinity of what is now Kalispell, and George M. Lakin and Wm. Rains 

 in the vicinity of Flathead lake. L. J. Chapman also planted treee about 

 this time. These men are really the pioneer fruit growers of the Flathead 

 valley. A great many others also purchased trees at this time but through 

 neglect or unfavorable soil conditions their trees died. To Geo. M. Lakin 

 the credit should be given for raising the first apple ever grown In the val- 

 ley, a Red Astrachan. Nearly all the trees planted at this time were old 

 standard varieties such as Northern Spy, Rawles Janet, Ben Davis, Fall 



