The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1892-02-27
The Coffee Blight and It's Enc.
mics,

the HAWAIIAN GAZETTE of the 10Th
inst. | notice a letter from Mr. w.
Meyer, in which he refers to one
received from Prof Koebele in con-
nection with proposed remedy
for the Coffee Blight, and more
especially the white aphis.
In his remarks with regard to an
insect which might prove natural
enemy to the pest, and Professor
Koebele says che will engage to in
troduce, and which will so reduce
its numbers that it's ravages will
not only be checked for few
years, but forever, as far as this in
sect is concerned"
1t may be Of some interest to
your readers to know that, in my
opinion, such an enemy already
exists in these islands, in the
form of a lady bird though for
some reasons it seems rather scarce.
When [ was in Honolulu in Jan
uary, '91, | made the acquaintance
of Mr. Kidwell, gentleman who
is well versed in horticulture, and
who is engaged in the cultivation
Of pineapples.
In the course Of several converse
tions we had on the subject of cof-
fee culture, and also on the coffee
blight, Mr.. Kidwell informed me
that he knew of an insect which at
tackled the white aphis, and added
that if would go out to his place
he would be happy to show me the
same. Accordingly [ paid him a
visit, and there | saw the insect,
which is about the size of the eve
dalia Cardinalis," but OF a grayish
color, with black spots on its back
and very similar to the lady bird
SO common in England. Both Mr..
Kidwell and myself saw it in the
act of feeding on the white aphis.
We collected several specimens,
which | took into town with me
and had cage prepared for their
reception, supplying them plenti-
fully with guava leaves infested
with the white aphis. [ can assure
your readers, beyond a doubt, that
this lady bird attacks and kills the
pest. Unfortunately my expert
ments were brought to somewhat
untimely end, as l had to make
trip to Hawaii and, on my return,
L found the insects had been neg
lected and were all dead. | had
occasion to go out to Mr.. Emme-
luth's residence, where he has quite
nice garden, in which are
planted a number of citrons and
other trees. He very kindly as
sisted me in my search for the
lady birds, and we found several
specimens similar to the one | pro-
cured from Mr. Kidwell. They
were in several stages of develop
ment and we examined some under
a microscope. The specimens I
procured from Mr.. Emmeluth met
with a similar fate to the first lot :;
for on their arrival in Kona, on
examining the cage, | found, out
of some twenty or thirty speci-
mems not more than half dozen
were alive, and these also died in a
few days. 1t was only then that l
discovered the cause of their death,
viz: the small ants, which are al
ways to be found in countless
numbers wherever the blight may
be seen.
Although my experiments were
conducted on a small scale, and
under very unfavorable circum-
stances, at the same time [ saw
enough to convince me of the fact
that at cur very doors, we have
possibly an effective remedy,
which to quote Professor Koebele's
words "will so reduce the numbers
of the pest that it's ravages will not
only be checked for a few years,
but forever SO far as this insect is
concerned"
It was my intention to give the
lady bird another trial on larger
scale, and under more favorable
circumstances; but my time has
been so much occupied in opening
up the new plantation for the H
c. & T. Co., that 1 have never had
an opportunity to make the expert
ment.
Since my arrival in Kona,
have very carefully watched the
white aphis and its ravages on the
coffee plant, which it attacks il
all stages of its growth, from {
Seeding of a few months to a tree
of thirty years.
The following are the conclu
sions l have arrived at, viz:
1. That the pest is more preva
lent at lower elevations than at
higher altitude. At about 1901
feet above sea level, on the com
pany's lands, there are very fey
signs of it; while at 1000 feet anC
over there are no traces of it to b
seen.
2. That the pest is propagate'
in the ground in the first instance