The Hawaiian gazette., 1874-09-30
Agricultural Notes.

The California papers have been much exercised
about the alleged discovery of wild coffee in some
sections of that State. Samples of the berrie:
were sent for by the Bulletin, who had them
examined by competent authorities. DR.. Glib
bons, of Alameda, gives the following report con-
corning them:
''The name of the tree is the wild buckthorn.
1t is found in all parts of the State, and grows to
the height of from four to twelve feet 1t some.
what resembles the coffee.tree but the leaves APP
pear alternately on different sides of the stem,
whereas in the true coffee the leaves grow in the
same place and are directly opposite each other.
The berries of the buekthorn not poisonous as
has been supposed, but they strongly cathartc,
which any person who requires purgative can test
by personal experience. They have been in use for
medical purposes for hundreds of years. We may
here state that at present coffee has only been dis
covered in q wild state in Ethiopia, Abyssinia, and
Liberia, all in Africa. The Dutch appear to have
been the people who introduced it into general use
among Europeans, after they had planted ii in their
colonial possessions in the East Indies and Java
1t was first brought to America by the Dutch in
17l5, and it was planted almost simultaneously in
the West Indies and at Suriuam in South America
ORANGE CULTURE,
In America, is beginning to meet some of the
drawbacks which it encounters in other parts of
49, ---Il ---;'~- 'ia .,-one,o ornhards OF
Florida says that they are threatened with total
destruction by the scale-bug, or ooccuS, which at
tacks many plants and trees here. Commenting
on this the same paper quoted above says that
" in the southern counties of California, the or
chards in the Los Angeles valley were, until re-
Gently, the only ones wherein the insect had
made its appearance. Where it came from
whether imported or indigenous-is unknown.
Neglect on the part of culturists has allowed it
to propagate and spread, and it has now pene-
trated the most secluded and best protected or
chards in the San Gabriel valley. 1t has as yet
however, done no further injury than to affect the
market value of the fruit in consequence of the
stain it receives from the secretion the bug de-
posts. But recently, the most enlightened
orange culturists in that section of the State
have become alarmed lest more serious results
should follow. Some of them anticipate the
complete arrest of the circulation of the sap con-
sequenty the early death of their trees, unless
the bug is very soon exterminated.
at would appear from card recently published
in the Los Angeles Herald, emauating from the
leading orange culturists in the San Gabriel valley
j. De Barih Shorb and f. ]. c. Keweu-that
perfect method for the total determination of the
scale-bug had at last been discovered. Mr.. shorb 4
claims the discovery, but somehow or other it has
got into the hands of the agent Of patent fre-ex
tinguisher with which the experiments were con-
Quoted, and now the secret is not to be revealed |
excepting TO purchasers of the machine, and then /
only under pledge Of profound secrecy on their
part. The element employed in this particular ma
chine is carbouic acid gas, aud Mr. Shorb intmates
in his card that the ingredients introduced into the
machine for the destruction of scale.bugs only
such as will reduce the strength Of the charge He
claims that an application Of this mixture relieved
his trees OF the pest At once aud be says there
as many as eight hundred OF them threatened with
premature death. Colonel Kewen pronounces it
equally eficaciops in his orchard. If this remedy
possesses all the virtues which it is represented to
have, it would seem a duty the discoverer owes to
bis generation, inasmuch as he lays no possessory
claim TO it himself 10 give it the widest publicity
more especially so it seems the particular machine
With which the solution has been applied is not alb
,olutely necessary TO accomplish the desired end.
The orange interest In this State is assuming con-
siderable magnitude, and the man who will furnish
,ulturists an nfallible remedy for the evil which
threatens il with death at its outstart will be- in
Iced, public benefactor.n