The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1898-06-21
A COFFEE FUNGUS
A Guatemalan Coffee EX'
pert Writes of Pests.
In Communication With Prof. Koe
bele-Leaf Disease That Has
Given Much Trouble.

Since the recent communication from
Washington, relating to the coffee leaf
disease in Guatemala, further inquiries
were made. especially to ascertain if
the Ceylon leaf disease exists in Cen
trail America as stated by Semler is his
work Die TropiSche Agricultur" vol.
1, p. 297. In writing about the Henri
LEILA vaStatrix, Sender states that in
1869 it appeared first in Ceylon and
from here spread within few years
over the whole of India and the Malai-
an Archipelago. later it reached the
Fiji Islands and Mauritias and curing
the late years has appeared in South
and Central America in certain places.
July, 1894. the disease appeared for
the first time in German. East Africa.
yet It had been present earlier at the
later place, as Dr.. Warburg found IT
upon coffee leaves collected at Victoria
Nyanza by Stuhlman in March. 1892.
While at Sydney. Australia in ~.
letter was received from the Ham
burg Company stating that the coffee
trees at that time were all dying ow-
ing to the presence of the Ceylon leaf
disease. During my visit in Mexico
last summer coffee trees were examin-
ed in the States of Vera Cruz. Puebla
oaxaca. Morelos and Nichoacan. vet
in no instance did l find any indica-
ton Of fungoid disease as mentioned
by Mr.. Dieseldorff. The larva of
small moth appears to be present
everywhere, mining the coffee leaves
and producing irregular brown spots
of about one-haf inch in diameter.
Yet never so numerous as to cause any
injury. The mature insect could not
be bred and may prove to be the same
as in Brazil where the larva of small
white moth has, in former years AT
least, been very abundant and destruc-
tive, During 1883, while studying the
cotton insects at Bonito. Province
Pernambuco, $4,000 such mines were
estimated upon every single coffee tree
and the little white moths were
swarming amongst the numerous
dead leaves on ground.
As will be seen in the appended let
ter from Guatemala, the stilbium fiavi- |
dunn appears to be most severe in wet |
and shady places, from the Hemileia
vaStatrix the reverse may rather be |
expected, trees growing in dry and |
exposed localities succumb first To its |
attacks.
Coban. 21st de April. de 1898.
\. KOEBELE. ESQ.
Honolulu
Dear Sir:-In answer to your favor |
OF oath ulto., / beg to state that the |
Ceylon leaf disease Hemileia vastatrix /
has not so far been known in Central |
America. Senior is mistaken. The |
fungus which is doing considerable
damage to coffee estates in wet posi-
ton. especially where there is heavy.
clayey subsOil is called. "Stflbium |
favidum.' The special agent OF Unit
ed States Department of Agriculture
who has studied it IS Mr.. Walter T.
Swingle, Division of Vegetable Ply
siology, Washington. The disease has
been known TO exist for the last Il
years and attacks especially older
and where the trees are
planted too closely, so that neither
sun, light nor heat can reach the soil.
The leaves show small IA or Is inch |
brown spots, the fungus is shaped like
a needle with yellow seed bushel on
top, soon afterwards the leaves and
fruit attacked drop and the tree. al
though not dying right out, gives only
1-10th of the crop it ought to give
The drier coffee zones are exempt from
the fearful attacks of stilbium. where
it exists but does not flourish, but
from 1000 to $500 feet above
sea level with cold stiff sub-soil. rain
fall about 200 inches the year, trees
planted at to IL yards square are
bound TO be attacked sooner or later.
A loose soil or mixed with sandstone
Or slaty bits is comparatively free from
stilbium. The best remedy so far is.
Ito avoid stiff soils in wet positions;
at 8 to yards square so that
sun gets down to soil; 3-Clear off
all shade; 4-Collect leaves on ground
and burn them. I am now introducing
he Bordelaise sauce, but cannot say
what the results are, as l am Just be-
ginning my experiments. Your ad-
vises would be very welcome. Per-
sonally l have lost a small fortune
through appearance OF stilbium in my
estates. There does hardly seem to
exist an efficient remedy against fun
gus attacks. l have let all the Chryp-
olaemus loose, but cannot say whether
hey got on well. If shall need more.
shall avail myself of your kind offer.
Always at your service.
Yours very truly,
E. P. DIESELDORFF.