The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1897-02-16
NORTHERN BUGS
Prof. o. B, Johnson of the
State University.
Talks of Bugs in the North West.
Beet Sugar Industry
Growing.

Prof. o. B. Johnson, who for II
years held the chair of biology in the
Washington State University, is in the
city in the hopes of regaining some OF
his health by sitting in the sunshine
OF Honolulu. Professor Johnson is a
guest at Mrs. Riley's on Fort street,
and he was seen there by reporter
for the Advertiser yesterday.
For an invalid he is about the jolliest
individual one could find, for, as he re-
marked yesterday, it is his walker,
not his talker," that is affected.
In Washington and Oregon the pro-
fessor is known as Bug" Johnson,
from the interest he has taken in ento-
mology. Though this was not included
in the branches taught by him, he has
a collection numbering $4,000 insects
and bugs from various parts of the
world.
Your japanese beetle" he remark
ed. has given the ladies a great deal
of trouble in their flower garden-an
unfortunate thing-but l understand
your Commissioner of Agriculture, Mr..
Marsden, and Professor Koebele have
done much toward decreasing their
numbers. Professor Koebele is great
on the fungus to rid localities of bugs
for which natural enemy cannot be
found, and l have no doubt he will
meet with success in the cases of the
beetle. Before l left home l warned
our young naturalists to be on the
lookout for the beetle on the Sound,
for I have no doubt it will reach that
country through the medium of steam-
ers from the Orient.
Washington, being such a thorough
ly wooded locality, is naturally a ia
vorite spot for insects, moths, ETC., and
following the rule that each species of
tree or plant life has six distinct
species of insects TO feed upon it, we
naturally have great number of the
little things. Indigenous? To the
Northwest, yes; but not especially to
Washington. would term them, rath-
er, imported pests. The insects which
inhabit Washington are the same as
those which infest the Northwest,
from, say, Mount Shasta to Alaska.
The climatic conditions within that
range are practically similar.
THE Japanese beetle disappears, to
a large extent, during the winter time
when you have frequent rains. In that
case, do not believe they would thrive
in Washington west of the Cascades,
because we have considerable rain dur
ing the year | am quite sure the
many young naturalists of our city and
State will keep a sharp lookout for
them, and the students at the agricul-
tural college and experiment station
will also do their duty toward them. 3"
AT your experiment station, profess
sor, what is done?"
Everything which aids in adyanc-
ing agricultural pursuits in the State.
The experts examine the character of
the soil, and. if necessary, the charac-
ter of fertilizer suited TO the soil in va
rious parts of the State The people east
of the mountains have been expert
menting with the sugar beet during
the past two years, and they have
found that the soil there is admirably
adapted to their cultivation. The sac
charine matter in the beets shows 90
per cent purity, a high percentage, ]
believe, for any State. have no doubt
that ultimately a beet sugar refinery
will be established somewhere east OF
the Cascades. 4and sugar will become a
rival of the wheat industry"