Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-05-12

twenty-five years old. These fine trees here
and there suddenly began to wither in foil
age and the twigs to be covered with the
little white cushions of the lice. Whole rows
of trees were seen with all but the larger
limbs Topped off and burned, in hope of stay
ing the plague, but without effect. Koebele
was written to for help. He was known to
have had magical success in saving the
orange and lemon orchards Of California
from this same enemy. Koebele sent us
down some little boxes with a few dozen
very small ladybugs with scarlet dots, called
vedalia cardinals These were placed on
the branches among their favorite food, the
cottony cushion lice. They fell to at once
multiplied themselves enormously, and, with
their larvae. in six weeks had cleared the
city completely Of the enemy Hawaii has
unlimited faith in Prof. Koebele.
But this particular lady bug will eat only
that particular louise. Our fruit trees are
badly infested with several other kinds.
So the government has hired Koebele for
five years to fight these viruent little enc
mics, on the principle that every insect has
other insects to kill them. and Koebele is
the man to find out which. He has made a
preliminary exploration of the country,
with the result of finding thirty species of
aphis and coccus which infest our plants.
The most prevalent one he calls Pulvinaris
psidi. All over the islands the stems and
foliage of guava and other trees and
bushes are covered with the black exuda-
tons of this louise, which greatly impairs
the fruitfulness of many trees, especially
the fig
Prof Koebele considers the most danger
Gus pests OF this class Rhizo coccus, which
came here two years ago, and so far is con-
fined to the island of Oahu. These various
lice and other insects infest and damage
especially our coffee, cotton, sugar cane and
bananas. The coffee suffers the worst
especially If unshaded Koebele has al
ready got six kinds of lady bugs at work
and two kinds of moths. He will soon start
IN search of more combatants. Australia
Will be his great field of exploration, whence
faS
obtained. He will also search for them in
Java and other East India islands, whence
probably many of the lice were originally
imported, without bringing along their APP
propriate insect antidotes.
Hawaii seems originally to have had few
insect pests. An ancient kind, which used
to be very disheartening to white farmers
was small caterpillar, armies OF which
would come out with the winter rains and
eat up clean every crop OF wheat, oats or
corn which got promising start. This
more than any other cause has discouraged
the raising here of hay, an article imported
In immense quantities from California For
the last few wears very little is seen Of
those destructive black armies OF caterpil-
lars, covering the ground. The remedy for
them was found in the Introduction from
Java of the mynah bird, as well as of lin
nets, all of which have multiplied through
out the country. and have deyoured the
miilers before they have laid their eggs
which hatch into caterpillars.
On the whole We are not more perhaps
less. afflicted than other countries with in
sect enemies to agriculture Locusts and
the grasshoppers of your western plains
have not yet made their way here. To read
the testimony of some of Mr. Blount's wit
nesses. 1t would appear that the worst pest
or all which has afflicted Hawaii is the
missionaries" who have devoured the SUBJ
stance of the poor natives. These so-called
missionaries. on their part, seem to attrib-
ute the various social and other evils of
which Hawaii has its share to other
sources
Local Political Matters.
Just now there Is unusual local activity
In politics. Ward meetings. have lust be-
gun nominations of candidates for the con-
sttutlonal convention. A somewhat Pc
culiar choice was made last evening in the
fifth ward. of a person known as Prince
kunuiakea. This gentleman is when sober
of fine address. stately appearance and
much intelligence. He is one-fourth white.
being a grandson OF the noted John Young
the chief lieutenant of kamehameha the
Great, by whose very essential aid that
chief made himself master of the whole
group kunuiakeas mother was sister to
the mother of the late Queen Emma both |
being daughters of John Young by a chief |
ess of high rank and noble character As !
in the case of the majority of Hawaiians
OF nigh rank, there was a great disc-ep-
ancy between the reputed and the actual |
paternity of the children of these ladies
Queen Emma was the real daughter of DR. |
I: {. Boyd Rookie, and thus hree-fourths |
white. Her young cousin, kunuiakea on |
his part was the actual son of King |
kauikeaoun, or kamehameha Ill II was /
his legal fathers proud boast that his wife |
had borne twin sons to the king The other |
twin died in infancy. kunuiakea is thus |
:eaily grandson of the Conqueror Kane |
hameha, and is the only living person who |
inherits the ancient royal blood.
Alexander Liholeho. Kamehameha " |
whom kanikeaouli made his heir. was also |
well known to be the latter's son by his |
half-sster kinau. Kuniakea was thus AL |
eXander's half-brother in fact and TO his |
cousin, Queen Emma who married Liholiho
was sort of brother, If not lin law" He |
is thus looked upon by the natives as very
big Indian. In fact. if he had been behav- |
ing himself twenty years ago, Kalakaua |
would have had no chance of being elected |
king. But this young Prince Albert" as |
series Of very disgraceful excuses and no |
one trusted him. |
Proud of His Blood.
Indeed, 10 one trusts him now. At the |
same time he holds himself very proudly. |
as Of the loftiest native rank, which he
really is. He has always looked with con-
tempt on the pretentions of Kalakaua and |
his sisters to royal blood. Having no |
chance whatever himself for the throne he |
readily seconded the revolution and the |
abolition of the monarchy and now gets |
put forward as a candidate for the conven-
ton. He will probably carry some native |
support with him. If he can keep sober |
long enough. he may get elected
The royalists held a mass meeting on the
9th, which was thinly attended and showed |
no enthusiasm. The burden of the speeches |
was that the natives must not register |
must not take the oath, must take no part |
in the coming election. This advice will |
probably be followed by the large majority |
of the natives. who still believe in a proba- |
bility that the queen will be restored and |
fear evil consequences to themselves If |
they take the oath. |
Nearly one thousand voters have regis
tered in this city. The coming week which |
is the last, will doubtless bring the number |
up to fifteen hundred, one-half of all |
those registering before the last election |
About two hundred natives have registered |
so far. The Portuguese are holding off |
waiting for some assurance from their
government that they will not forfeit Por-
tuguese protection by taking an oath to
support this government. Most other whites
feel assurance on that point and register
freely. KAMEHAMEHA.
Her Trent.