Albert John Cook (August 30, 1842 – September 29, 1916) was an American economic entomologist and educator. He was influential in the development of entomology in Michigan and California. Cook taught one of the first formal courses in entomology in the United States.

Biography

Cook was born in Owosso, Michigan on August 30, 1842. He studied agriculture and biology at the (Michigan) State Agricultural College (now

Michigan State University Michigan State University (Michigan State or MSU) is a public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university in East Lansing, Michigan, United States. It was founded in 1855 as the Agricultural College of the State o ...

), and graduated in 1862. He received a masters degree two years later and then continued his graduate studies at Harvard under the tutelage of

Louis Agassiz Jean Louis Rodolphe Agassiz ( ; ) FRS (For) FRSE (May 28, 1807 – December 14, 1873) was a Swiss-born American biologist and geologist who is recognized as a scholar of Earth's natural history. Spending his early life in Switzerland, he recei ...

and

Hermann August Hagen Hermann August Hagen (30 May 1817 – 9 November 1893) was a German entomologist who specialised in Neuroptera and Odonata. He had established himself as one of Europe's preeminent entomologists by 1867 when he accepted a position at Harvard Univ ...

. In 1862 he returned to his alma mater, teaching mathematics and a half-year course in entomology, one of the earliest formal courses offered in the United States. In 1867 he established the Collection of Insects at the College.Michigan State University
/ref> In 1869 he became a professor of zoology and entomology. While at State Agricultural College, he was extensively involved in

beekeeping Beekeeping (or apiculture, from ) is the maintenance of bee colonies, commonly in artificial beehives. Honey bees in the genus '' Apis'' are the most commonly kept species but other honey producing bees such as '' Melipona'' stingless bees are ...

. He lectured on apiculture and in 1876 published a pamphlet called ''The Manual of the Apiary'', which was eventually expanded into a textbook that went through at least seventeen editions. He also spent many years in

California California () is a U.S. state, state in the Western United States that lies on the West Coast of the United States, Pacific Coast. It borders Oregon to the north, Nevada and Arizona to the east, and shares Mexico–United States border, an ...

teaching at

Pomona College Pomona College ( ) is a private university, private Liberal arts colleges in the United States, liberal arts college in Claremont, California. It was established in 1887 by a group of Congregationalism in the United States, Congregationalists ...

from 1894 to 1911 and after this headed California's Commission of Horticulture. He died in his childhood home on September 29, 1916.

Works

*''Manual of the apiary''. Chicago: Newman & Son (1880). *''Wintering bees''. Lansing: Agricultural College of Michigan (1885). *''Report of apicultural experiments in 1891''. (1892). *''The Bee-Keeper's Guide; or Manual of the Apiary''. (17th ed.) Chicago: Newman & Son (1902).

Notes

Sources

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External links

* 1842 births 1916 deaths American entomologists Michigan State University alumni Pomona College faculty People from Owosso, Michigan Scientists from California Biologists from Michigan {{US-entomologist-stub