The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1892-11-12
Honolulu, H. l., Sept. Is. 1892.


Hon. W. .. SMITH, Chairman of the
Committee appointed by the Legis-
lature to investigate the taro blight
on the island of Kauai.
In accordance with the instructions CT
your committee l have made trip to
the portions of Kauai that have suffered
most severely from the taro blight, and
have made such study of the subjects as
was possible in the limited time at my
disposal.
The facts in regard to the initiation
and progress of the disease | believe are
already familiar to your committee. All
testimony agrees in pointing out the
vicinity OF Lihue as the starting point on
Kauai of the disease, which spread rap
idly in the direction of Koloa and Wal
mea; more slowly to Windward, in the
direction of Hanaei.
/ examined the diseased taro patches
at Lihue, Koloa and Waimea, finding in
all these places that the disease has APP
peared in more or less severity in all
patches, except those recently made on
| new ground. When the disease has
once appeared in patch it invariably
remains present in subsequent paintings
OF the same ground, but not always in
creasing progressively in severity from
| year to year, although this is the rule.
| Spontaneous disappearance OF the dis
| ease has not yet been observed on Kauai,
| although it is said to have taken place
| elsewhere (on Oahu.
| Testimony lssconAiCting with regard to
| the influence of weather. In some To-
calities it is believed that wet weather
has an nnfavorab!e effect. In others,
the disease was believed 10 be more Sc
we're in hot and dry weather.
Sometimes the taro is attacked soon
after planting, oftener after the tubers
have made considerable growth, and
not unfrequently the patches promise
we'll up to the eighth month, or later.
The first indication of the disease is
shown in the appearance of the foliage.
The leaves of the affected plants do not
develop properly-are stunted in growth
and have shriveled appearance. Not
unfrequently the leaves of plants on the
margin of the patch will be found COW
cred with aphides (plant lice), and some
have connected the disease with THEN
presence, but they are found also
in some patches apparently not affected
and their absence in most Of the infected
patches negatives the hypothesis that
they cause the disease. That the at
tacks of these insects do cause the tarC
sometimes to rot, is not unlikely.
In some localities the stems and young
leaves OF the affected plants are marked
in such a way as to suggest the idea that
they have been punctured by borer
and this condition is SO general that the
disease has been ascribed to the attack
of such an insect. In some regions
however, these marks seem to be-
wholly wanting. Moreover, the marks
when carefully examined do not show
evidence that there has been such punct
ure-at least there is no visible passage
leading from the points into the tuber
All that is apparent is that the tissues o
the plant have commenced to rot at these
points, this condition extending some
times several inches down the stem
Sometimes the central young leaf vii
be found thus, completely rotted out.
In some cases, other points will bt
found on the same plant where there il
no decay of tissues, but simply, just be
low the surface, round dark spots, evi
IDENTIFY of fungous growth, and it is
possible that 1t is from such spots thai
the decay may originate. This is anal
agous to what takes place in some case:
in potato rot.
Neither dI THESE points nor III TIE Iu
bers of the affected plants are there any
evidences that the trouble has beer
caused by an insect. 1t is true that tn,
result may follow long after the insec
has disappeared, and the traces OF it
work might be difficult to find. In an
further study OF the subject this possibil
ity must not be left out OF mind; bu
thus far no positive evidence has beer
found connecting the disease with any
such cause, In the dryer climate Q
Waimea the leaves and stems of the tar,
did not seem to have been attacked il
the manner described. Here, again
the facts coincide with what is observed
OF potato rot
The taro, as l have said, may grow
nearly to maturity before it shows signs O
disease, or the hulis themselves may 70
soon after they are planted. The tube
is attacked often on the side, sometime
at or near the bottom, its substance be
coming reduced at last to a soft pulp
with a peculiar offensive odor. In tn
earlier stages of the disease, isolate,
spots appear in the substance of the tn
Der, discolored and hard, and the inter