The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1857-10-01

0U0hOks 0uA AA~ c
progressively, 50 as to be hardly perceptible, as soon
a. the animal fixes itself permanently to the eplcer-
mis- Of the bark. This 6xi2g takes place at q more
or less early period. by M ms of the prohoscis ana
lateral cutaneous appendices. hanging down on
Zach side of the thoracis and abdominal rings 1t
then adheres so closely to the piantsas not only tosbe
iumoyable, but that it cannot even be scraped OF with
out being injured. Soue time AFTER this the
BODY Loses its wooly covering, and assumes adarker
hue, its soft cOnsjstepss ads to q horny or scaly
hardness, which indicateAksa0e approaching death 4
the animal This event. Sowever, does not occE
before a considerable mas5 eggs have been depos3
ed by the animal, which, tven after death, remaits
permanently fixed over thap as a safe protecti3p,
although by this time shrunKe e hollow shellxf4-
scraping this off from the tres t6y hRgs car
distinctly, here and there intersps matched
ont young ones moving ABOUT in aSss6ttony coat.
As soon as the youngleahse left their eggs. they
! creep ont from wder the maternal shield and spread
over the difl<e1t parts Of the plants, chiefly however.
clusterU Together and forming the above alluded to
cobxE54ke masses in the axilla of the leaves and
kE.rcations of the younger branches. The females
Pare accordingly the only destroyers of the plants. an
| their organ of destruction is their proboscis, by which
they suck the sap of the plant. Crowded together in
one spot in immense quantities, and even superim-
posed on each other in different layers, they inhict
irreparable injury ON the part affected by tan COM
bired effect of the wounds and the loss of sap. The
principal part of invasion in the coffee tree seems to be
the axillac of the leaves and branches, probably as well
on account Of the shelter afforded as. because so many
tender and succulent organs are crowded there to-
gether. as the stipule and peduncles. flower and
fruit. They spread, however. also over other parts,
particularly the under side of the mid ribs of the
leaves and the stem, where they are chiefly found in
- - ----.s-- Il4 n I1..-
scales or crusts.
The pathological effect on the fruit is a kind of
moist gangrene pedicels and pulp turn black, soft
and friable, the albumen (bean proper) shrinks and
wastes completely, and the inside of the endocarp
(parchment) is covered with a white vegetable mould.
Other parts, as bark and young leaves. are found
similarly degenerated. I have no positive informa-
ton about the time at which the fruit is first attacked
but from the circumstance that several green berries
were intact in the specimens sent by you for examin-
alton, l should judge that it is ut the period of ripen-
ing, when the sugar and pecten form in the eHlp,
that the insect fastens on them.
L must not omit to mention here, that the leaves of
the specimens were covered here and there also with
a black rust, a cryptogamous parasite, which affects
many other plants, as theuohia, orange, oleander and
6-Reyond a retardation in growth, l have however
not observed any appreciab!e deleterious effect caused
by it.
Another species of the genus coccus infests our fig
trees, hibiscus mutabilis and other plants. In Eu-
rope, the peach. hawthorn, grapevine, orange, and
ui'O OtfSi PHI ~ pfiheSs Nv W tuCti uiS-
tinct species of coccus. The coehineal and lac in
sects belong to the same order. The species in ques-
ton, as also that C the fig tree, have existed here
ss,s on ; year hiils the ta <Sz{6
A singulSG TACT IS the association ants 4Y
these insects where the former are congregafed, a
constant procession of the latter are to be seen march,
inlGp and down. Probably the relation existing be-
tween them, is similar to that existing between the
ants and the aphis. These exude, by their abdomi-
nal tubes, a secretion. of which the ants are very
fond. | do not think that the presence of the ants
aggravates the evil, unless it be by spreading the
eggs.
The invasion by these insects of the coffee planta-
tons of our islands, is undoubtedly a great evil, cal
culated to arouse the most serious alarm of our agri-
culturists for, if this plague should return year
after year, it would amount to u total destruction of
this branch of agriculture. The possibility of a
return of the evil the coming year, must not be
viewei too lightly in presence of the hundreds of
millions of eggs generated IN this season. The cir
cumstGnce that it never existed here before, does not
invaldate this apprehension, for the insect in question
is undoubtedly an importation of late years /; and
the observation, that in other countries its rayages
generally do not recur in successive years, cannot be
wholly relied On here, as we do lick, until now, the
natural enemies of this insect, which tend SO power +
fully to keep its increase in check elsewhere. We
are IN this respect ut a great disadvantage in our iso-
lated position, as most OF the deleterious animals be-
ing of the lowest orders, they easily find their way
here by their minute eggs fastening to numerous OBJ
Jects imported. while their natural enemies do not
follow by the same law. A wet winter; with long
continued heavy showers. will probably kill the
greater part of the eggs and young insects. but light
and short rains have no influence ON them.
With regard to the other question Are the trees,
from thus years invasion, likely to. be injured per-
manently | certainly think not. The insect at
tacks principally the fruit and parts surrounding il,
young leaf-buds and shoots the principal trunk
seems to remain intact There is therefore no reason
to doubt that this will sprout out again. even after
having been deprived of all its foliage. Its vitality
may be somewhat impaired by the loss of sap, but as
this takes place on the extremities of the Giant, at a
period when there is no very active movement in the
circulation going on, and in parts which easily cica-
trize, 1t cannot be of very long duration.
Now, with regard to the momentons question By
which means can we get rid of the insect, or by
which means can we ward off its epidemic invasion !
The remedies which can suggest themselves, seem to
met to fall under the three following heads:
l. Placing the plants in, or surrounding them
with conditions which make them an undesirable
abode for the insect.
2. Destroying the insects by artificial means.
!. Introducing its natural enemies.
First believe to have observed that the coccus
OF the fg treeik more abundant on those trees which
are best sheltered and shaded. 1t would appear to
me that the insect does not thrive so well under a
free circulation of light and air. Perhaps also the
Inference may be attributable to the 49, action of
"lnd ana ram In open exposures the Wind dis
perses the eggs and young animals, and the rain
washes them down. If the observation should prove
correct, 1T would have a strong bearing on two points
connected with the management of coffee plantations,
VIZ the close planting, and the topping ut the height
of SIX feet. The latter practice is resorted to in order
TO facilitate the gathering of the fruit. Although l
am not a practical planter, this practice has always
appeared objectionable to me. as by cutting the top
you lnflict IN the first place an unnecessary wound,
and, secondly. favor a too exuberant growth of the
lower branches, which will incline to the ground,
and thereby cause an accumulation of moisture be-
low them. and exclude Pc solar light and fresh air,
all conditions favorable 70 the development of insects
and unfayorable to the full and perfect ripen-
ing of the fruit 1t is also a common observation
with gardeners in Europe, that trees artiicially
trained and Topped for frames and espaliers, are
more liable to disease than those growing en- plein
cent. The coffee tree, when left to itself, with sufH-
cient room for development, in rich soil, wills grow to
a height OF from Is to % feet. Some noble trees in
'front.' OF Mr.. fitcomb's residence, testify to this
growth in the rich valley of Hanalei. Let your trees
then remain undisturbed, and give them sufficient
room for development the branches will grow moro
rom each other, less bushy, and shorter in