THE HOWARD SCALE. 
Jlspidiotus howardi C/^II. 
-by- 
ESTES P. TAYLOR. 
INTRODUCTION. 
The extensive injury wrought in parts of the State of Colorado 
to pear, prune, plum and other fruit and shade trees by this insect 
makes it one of especial interest to the horticultural industry at this 
particular time. Further, the pest is the nearest ally of San Jose or 
Chinese Scale, well known as the most destructive of all fruit tree 
enemies.* The Howard Scale is one of peculiar importance to fruit 
growers of this state since its first discovery was made in Colorado 
and fruit growers of no other state as yet consider the pest with the 
same degree of interest. So far as is known, two states only, Colorado 
and New Mexico, harbor this insect. 
The history of the insect is all of comparatively recent date. It 
was first discovered by Prof. C. P. Gillette at Canon City, on August 
31, 1894, upon the fruit and bark of prune and wild plum. These 
first specimens were sent to Dr. L. O. Howard of the Bureau of Ento¬ 
mology, U. S. Department of Agriculture and to Prof. T. D. A. Cock¬ 
erell, then of the New Mexico Agricultural Experiment Station, but 
now of the State University of Colorado at Boulder. Dr. Howard 
pronounced the insect a new species and Professor Cockerell applied 
to it the name Howard scale.* 
Professor Cockerell later encountered the scale at Albuquerque, 
New Mexico, in August, 1895, upon the fruit of silver prune which 
determination was verified by Mr. Pergande of the U. S. Department 
of Agriculture, from material furnished him. 
The next published mention of it is from Professor Gillette in the 
Annual Report of the Experiment Station for 1901 when he reported 
its occurrence for the first time upon fruit trees of the Western Slope. 
Mr. H. E. Mathews, horticultural inspector for Delta county had, 
during that season, sent specimens of the scale taken from pear and 
* A most exhaustive and complete treatise on “The San Jose or Chi¬ 
nese Scale” has recently been issued by Mr. C. L. Marlatt as Bulletin No. 
62 , Bureau of Entomology, U. S. Dept, of Agriculture. This bulletin should 
be in the hands of every Colorado fruit grower. It may be had by applica¬ 
tion to the U. S. Dept, of Agriculture, Washington, D. C. 
* The original description was published in Canadian Entomologist,. 
XXVII p. 16 ( 1895 ). Prof. Wilmon Newell published, in 1899 , from Iowa, 
Contributions from Dept, of Zoology and Entomology, No. 3 Iowa State 
College, an article upon “The North American Species of the Sub-genera 
DiaspicLiotus and Hemiberlisia. of the genus Aspidtous ” including Prof. 
. Cockerell's original description of A. howardi Ckll. and giving as its 
habitat Colorado and New Mexico. More recently it has been given posi¬ 
tion in “Tables for the Identification of Rocky. Mountain Coccidae” (scale 
insects and mealy bugs), published by Prof. Cockerell. 
