The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-07-31
HONOLULU TREE PESTS.
A WAY FOUND TO RID US OF
THEM.
The First Fruits Of the Work Of the
Commissioner Of Agricultural
Good Offer.

Mars0en engaged III answering letttI
r. Gently received from Prof. Kuebele,
of Alameda, California. THIS gentle.
man is one Of the M st scientific entO |
molcgists in the United States. He is
n W n the serv ce tf tie California |
State Board of Agriculture, by whom
in 1889 he W IS sent these Islands,
FIJI, Samoa and Australia, under in
structions # m the Unted Stat, S
Department # Agriculture, ID vlsi Of
Entomol gy, to try and discover SOM
natural enemy of the fIt d or Cit ny
cushion scale tIcerya Pnrchasi) Mosk,l
which was devAst ting C,lf rnia or
chards, with a view to intr ducing the
most efficient of them into California.
In Australia he made the disc very
that an inst Ct known as the Carolina
Vedalia (Vedalia Cardinalis) mulsant
was natural and deadly
enemy of the cottony cushion sca'e,
ard number Of them we're taken to
California, besides quantities of eggs,
all arriving in good condition, and
Matching out as soon as exposed to
warmth These were introduced in the
orchards of Wolfskill, at Los Angeles;
Dobbens and Chapman, at San Gabriel,
and soon demonstrated their Efficiency.
The State B, ard of Agriculture then
took hold Of the work and the parasite
destroyer, which is species of lady bug,
was distributed in colonies throughout
Central and Northern Calf rn'a,
wherever an orchard, G rden or shrub
was KIN wn to be infested with cottony
cushion scale, and by Dec, mber Isl,
1890, the work of exterminating the
orchard pest was practically accom-
plished.
In Bulletin No. 81 Of the California
State Board of Agriculture, EMIT ed
Gan Historical Sketch of the Rise and
Downfall of the Cuttony Cushion
Scale in California" the following ap
pears:
"The money value of this Vedalia
to the orange growers IF this State has
been incalculable. The saving of the
richards already infested, the protect
ing of the others that were sure to be
blighted by this terrible CT rise, to say
nothing of perpetuating an industry
that it seems viii be the king Of all our
gricultural pursuits, is simply grand,
end cannot be estimated in the usual
dollar and cent test. In this crnnec
trn, we think it proper and st that
some fitting memorial shou Il be pr =
scented to Mr.. Albert Ko, belle, VIII"
came near sacrificing his life in his
search for this d) bug and its intro
ductl"n into this country. Notiing
could be more appropriate than tn,
raising E say not less than $4,000,
with which to by neat c, ltage il
Alameda, the home Of Mr.. Koeb le.
a, present 1t Ia hin md his ami b
wife S small test N ny If cur graft
tude."
AT the nj xt fruitgrowers' Convention,
assembled IN Los Angeles, the abuv,
suggestion was adopt, d, the money
raised and handsome use and lot
in Alameda presented to pr f,ssoI
Koebvle. This ssune # the men [
whom Commissioner Marsdt n has for.
warded specimens OF. the parasites in.
Testing our citrus and other trees, and
the following is his reply
i ALAMEDA, CAL, July 6. 1893.
Hon. +. Maysdsn, Secretary o.
Agriculture, Hawaiian Islands-SIR
On returning from a trip to Washing
ton and Ore gon | found your letter O
June aud and specimens uf scales ant
! beetles awaiting me.
No is specimen of Dactylobin!
which are, as have observed while a
Honolulu, the most numerous coccld
with you. 1t is also one of thes,
4 Insects that is So destructive to you
, coffee trees. / have n found an,
natural enc mics that ever would keel
TINS mealy bag IN check at your Isl
ands. | had promised the Secretar,
If Agriculture, white at your place ant
on my trip to Australia, etc, that
; would lo,k out r all such enemies
that would prove of benefit IN destroy
ing your scale pests, and have done ST.
Ny time would not allow me to senC
such things destructive to dacylobiu!
and 9TH scales you h We. In Auslrali;
many insects were found that destro,
these scales. A small internal parasite
a chalcid, that lays its eggs in tn,
scale and the Larvae Of which devour
the same, is one of the most valuabl,
for this particular pest, as also the larva
OF a cscidonyid, which was found by TN
million devouring these insects. Ant
many species OF lady birds that feet
a up IN them both in larva and mag,
e state. These insects, If introduced int
, the Hawaiian Islands, would soon
within couple Of years or so-free al
J your various trees and shrubs Of thes
: pests, and positively clean out the seal
. from cuffse trees as well. The relh
: would be ornament If these insect
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