The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-09-19
Mr.. MARSDEN'S REPORT.
RICH FUSD OF INFORMATION
FOR EVERYONE.
The War of Insectides Upon Pests
Forests-Of the Trees-work of
the Bureau.

The STAR has been favored by Mr..
Joseph Marsden, Commissioner of Ag-
rculture and Forestry. with a copy of
of his report for the period ending
March 3st, 1894. The pamphlet is
alive with interesting data upon the
subject falling within the province of
of that department and is worth the
perusal of everyone. From it the fol-
lowing extracts are taken. The Com
missioner says the Bureau of Agri-
culture and Forestry:
The Bureau was organized and the
first meeting held on March Goth, 1898.
1t has therefore been in existence one
year, or one-half the biennial period.
One of the first matters the Bureau
had to deal with was the prevalence of
many blights and insect pests, which
were affecting the vegetation of Homo
lulu and its suburbs, and the Bureau
after careful consideration instructed
your Commissioner to purchase and
erect the necessary apparatus for the
compromising of the most approved in
secticldes. and to manufacture and
furnish the same to all persons supply
ing the necessary crude materials.
Many thousands of gallons of insecti-
cides have been supplied to the public
in this manner, which have proved
more or less effectual in destroying
blight, according to whether the spray
,,as
Your Commissioner was also instructed
to procure a number of spraying outfits,
and loan the same without cost to the
public. This has been done and num-
Der OF outfits are in constant use, and
are undoubtedly of great benefit in keep
ing many valuable trees alive, which
would otherwise succumb to the ravages
of the various blights which have OBJ
tanned such foothold fin Honolulu.
1t was soon ascertained that some of
the blights and destructive insects
known in Honolulu had not reached
any of the other islands, and in order to
prevent as far as possible their doing so,
the Bureau passed "A regulation forbid
ding the carrying of trees or plants to
any of the other islands. Up to the
present time this has proved effectual
as none of the new destructive blights
and insects have yet been found on the
other islands, although several blights
that have been known for years are
found all over the group.
The attention of the Bureau was soon
drawn to the fact that any method OF
spraying, OF fumigating, ETC., were only
checks to the ravages OF the blIghts and
insects, and were entirely Intellectual in
eradicating the pests, and that the only
means of Kidding the country OF them
was by introducing the natural enemies
OF the same. The attention OF the
Bureau was directed to the great results
accomplished in California by this
method. The Bureau at once, through
its secretary, entered into correspon-
dence with Professor A. Koebele, who
was known to have had great and sue
cessful experience in applied entomol-
ogv, with The result that an engagement
has been entered into with Professor
Koebele for him to devote his time for a
period of three years, to the searching
Tor and introduction of the natural
enemies of the many blights and insect
pests that are prevalent in this country.
Makiki forest is another important
undertaking of the Board. OF this the
Commissioner says:
The work of planting this forest has
been continued during the past eleven
months under the immediate charge OF
Mr.. David Houghs, trained forester,
who has, with force of five Japanese
prOpagated and planted on the slopes
n In al ln ,rf
ment of wood and fruit trees. To make
room for these trees considerable thin
ming out of the eucalyptus had to be
done (Which has been planted in thi'
Valley; there were also in this valley
large clumps of mangoes and avocado
pear trees, which were planted Sc
closely together as to form dense
thicket, and would never, while left II
that condition, bear fruit.
One hundred and seventy five o.
these trees have been successfully trans
planted to favorable locations, leaving
plenty of room for those remaing, SOM
OF which will bear fruit this year.
A nursery has been established o.
about one acre in extent, the groun'
has been carefully prepared in
thorough manner by digging am
trenching, and there are now 81, 90
young trees in this nursery, anon
which are 1900 Kona orange seedlings
$50 seedlings of other kinds of oranges
1900 persimmon seedlings. 5000 campho
trees and 1000 Japanese chestnutS
There are also in addition to the abor
sixteen varieties of imported oranges
four of lemon, three of citrons, three @
almonds, five of persimmons and fou
of figs. These trees will be used for tn
purpose of obtaining scions and buc
with which to bud and graft the see'
hngs now growing in the nurser.
which will. when ready, be planted OF
in suitable locations.
In addition to these there are no
over 5000 young trees in boxes and LEI
pots ready for planting out.
They consist of logwood, acacia, Kor
coffee, camphor, schiners molle, da
palms. calophyllum, G. inophyllun
Jack fruit mangoes, paulownia, grew
liza and f. citradoro.
There are now on hand the followin
numbers aud varieties of trees al
plants: Twenty thousand fruits,
varieties; IL, $50 timber, ornamental al
medicinal; palms, ll,75O; and fib
plants, 6,5l3
Since May, 1892, this nursery has be,
under The immediate supervision of N
Ii. G.. Rhodes, who was engaged as ga
dener to replace Mr.. Carl Willin
Since that time, or during elev
months, there have been distribut
free to the public 1890 trees and plan
and to public schools 300.
The method OF preparing the you
plants and trees for distribution i
been to transplant the young trees ire
the boxes and beds (where they ha
been propagated) into leaf pots made
the Japanese laborers from leaves OF /
lauhala or pandanus palm. VIII
established in these pots they are rea
for distribution, and only require to
planted, pot and all, in the ground p