The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-11-09
SOMETHING OF LANTANA.
WHAT IT is AND THE HARM IT Is
DOING.
Introduction and Propagation The
Effect Upon Pasture Lands
The Recourse.

to combat in the immediate future is
lantana. Surely and not slowly for the
past decade and more this great pest has
been encroaching upon the life OF the
land, and today whole tracts OF other
wise fertile soil lie as barren wastes,
untitled, unused and protitless. From
few plants brought to this country as
an additional ornament it has spread
over the face OF the country and is an
enemy not easy to destroy.
As early as 1891 it was noticed that
the lantana was fast getti..g a ruinous
control OF the best pasture lands
throughout the whole group, whole
districts falling completely under its
control. 1t was said at that time that
Makaha ranch on this island was en-
tirely abandoned for stock raising in
consequence OF the pest; that it was
then u most serious question what to do
about it. As now, SO then, the mynah
bird and dove were blamed for the
spread OF the lantana; but as no efforts
have been made to exterminate either
all three pests have increased in a pro-
portional ratio.
At the time spoken of some gentle
man (perhaps Mr.. John Ross) heard that
the Island of Ceylon was having "a
similar experience to this country, but
were employing a certaintlower that
had proven a successful check to the
spread of lantana. The gentleman
wrote to Colombo in Ceylon regarding
the matter and received in return IA
packet of seed of the California sun.
flower, IithOnid diUersifOiid, and also
the Information that the power of
Tithonia to destroy lantana lay in its
ability to shade from the sun, the Ian
lana dying when the sunlight is taken
away.
Therefore, the remedy was practi-
cally ineffe ctive, and in a country like
this the chances are that the sunflower,
if permitted to get a foothold, would
have proved as great pest after time
as the lantana now is. In Ceylon, for
instance the California Tithonia grows
luxuriently, and it thrives in almost
any soil, one of the weeds named is con-
sidered about as bad as the other.
In October, 1891, B. F. Dillingham; as
chairman of tile committee on live
stock made a long report to the Plant
ers' Labor and Supply Company, from
which the following strong statement
of facts is CLEANED: "This country
seems tc have "A mania for importing
not only everything we want, and all
we think we want, but also many
/ things we do not want; some of which
have proved terrible curse. We refer
particularly in this report to the i'm
portation of lantana and Its industrious
propagator, the mynah bird, grdculo
religioSd.
''The lantana was introduced into
this country from tropical America in
the year S5S, and the mynah bird was
brought here from the East Indies about
the year 1866. The one might not have
proved SO great a curse without the
other, but the two combined have
already rendered almost worthless
thousands of acres of pasture land, anC
if some prompt, vigorous methods arr
not adopted by the next Legislature anc
enforced to the strict letter of the law
for the determination of these tw,
great evils, the day is not far distan
when there will be no pasture land il
the Islands upon which to raise eithe
horses or cattle, unless the land is KEEP
clear at a cost that would make stock
raising Improbable with beef at 2
cents per pound.
at is useless to look back over tn
past and estimate the small expense an,
little trouble that would have been in
volved in the total determination O
this land destroyer. A united effor
followed by immediate execution, en-
forced by the earliest legislative back
ing, is all that can now be done to saw
the grazing lands in this country iron
sure destruction"
Only three years have elapsed sine
the above opinion was written, and We
the dangers therein fortold are toda
staring the people of this Island, a
least in the face.
Take look at the fine grazing land
between this city and Pearl Harbor. Il
what condition are they found? Choke,
to death by lantana. Ii grows singl
and in clumps; spreads out over tn
healthy soil, DISCRIMINATING the gras
and killing the verdure where all wa
once green.
See Nuuanu valley. In that quartz
the value of property and the lantan
have waged war for several years. 1t
becoming a popular residence com
munIty and that fact has great
ly enhanced values; but undoubtedl
the lantana has greatly injured, ii ne
wholly destroyed some OF the brightei
prospects. Places where few yeal
ago lantana was not to be found has t
day been practically abandoned o
account OF the pest. What have bee
good, clean roads, the pride OF resident
the theme OF writer's and the delight
all, are now being closed in by the grei
octopus, lantana. One cannot no
travel in Nuuanu valley to any grei
extent without careful considerable
OF the condition OF the sides of the roa,
ways.
But the great harm done is to Ian,
, Take John Ena's place at Kamoilili
: What does it look like? What is
worth? A valuable piece of proper
sure enough, but a network OF Mexics
buck-horn cacti would not render
more useless for grazing purposes thi
a it is at present. The property is lite
= | ollV aatnn nm hu lanfano From, Si1a