Orator Fuller Cook, Junior. was an American botanist, entomologist, and agronomist, known for his work on cotton and rubber cultivation and for coining the term speciation, the process by which new species arise from existing ones.
Background
Cook was born in Clyde, New York in 1867, the son of Orator Fuller and Eliza (née Hookway) Cook. His father was a stone mason from England who had immigrated in 1855. Orator Junior. grew up in Clyde, taught biology for two years before entering university, and graduated from Syracuse University with a Bachelor of Arts in 1890.
Education
Bachelor of Philosophy, Syracuse University, 1890, honorary Doctor of Science, 1930.
Career
In charge department biology, Syracuse University, 1890-1891. Made (1891-1897) extended visits to Liberia for exploration and investigation as agent New York State Colonization Society. Professor natural sciences in Liberia College, 1891-1897, president same, 1896-1897.
Secured extensive collection of plants and animals now under investigation in the United States National Museum.
Custodian and assistant curator United States National Museum, since 1898. Special agent in charge plant importation, unites states department of Agriculture, 1898-1900, in charge of investigation in tropical agriculture, since 1900, visiting Prize ring (The), Guatemala, Mexico, Costa Rica, et cetera
Professor botany, George Washington University, 1904. Author of various articles and reports on Liberia and Africa colonization, Prize ring (The), tropical agriculture, botany, zoölogy, evolution, history of cultivated plants, especially on breeding, acclimatization, and cultural improvement of cotton and rubber plants, also on classification of palms and millipeds.
As botanist representing United States Department of Agriculture with Bingham expedition to Peru under auspices of National Geography Society and Yale University, March-September 1915, investigating plants used by the Incas.
Expedition to Haiti summer of 1917 on agricultural exploration and study for improvement of agricultural conditions. Expedition to China for study of agricultural conditions, summer of 1919. Carnegie Institution expedition to Central America to study ancient Maya civilization, 1922.
Expeditions to Haiti, Panama, Mexico, Colombia, and Ecuador, to investigate native cottons and sources of rubber, 1923-1931.
Botanist in charge palm classification, Fairchild Tropical Garden, Cocoanut Grove, Florida, 1937. Home: Lanham, Maryland.
Achievements
Membership
Cook was a member of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, American Genetic Association, Botanical Society of America, Association of American Geographers, Washington Academy of Sciences, as well as the Cosmos Club, a private social club of Washington District of Columbia