The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-12-29
Prompt Reply From Washington
Received Here.
COFFEE is NOT IN DANCER.
Remedial Suggestions BY The Mer
of SCience-CuItivati
And a Spray.

The appended letter has been re-
ceived by Byron o. Clarke, Of the Blu
reau OF Agriculture here 1t is from
Washington and is in response 10 in
quiry sent along with some "suspi-
cious" coffee berries
Dear Sir:-Mr. F. V. Coviue. botan-
ist of this department. has referred TO
US your letter of November 1 and three
specimens OF diseased coffee berries
We have kept the specimens several
days in the hope of obtaining some de-
finite facts bearing on the nature of
the trouble and the possibility OF in
fecting growing coffee berries from the
material forwarded.
We find associated with the Speci-
mems a fungus, which is doubtless one
of the chief factors in causing the dis
ease. The fungus is a fuSarium, and
so far as can be determined has not
been reported as occurring on coffee.
The spores, or reproductive bodies, of
the fungus are quite abundant on the
surface of. the berries, and the myce-
lium, or vegetative portion, penetrates
the tissues in all directions.
Similar fungi occur in this country
on various plants and sometimes occa-
sion considerable injury under certain
conditions of moisture and heat. We
see no reason for alarm in this parti-
cular case, however, and believe that
with proper precautions the disease
may be held in check. Doubtless sur
rounding conditions, such as soil, rain
fall, etc. have much to do with the
prevalence of the disease, and probably
in localities where the rainfall is not
so great the fungus would not occur in
sufficient quantity to be noticed.
In the matter of preventive measure
| We can only suggest the careful gather
| ing and destroying of as much of the
diseased material as possible, together
with the best cultivation under exist
ing conditions. By keeping the plants
| in a good, strong growing condition,
much can be done toward holding the
fungus in check. We have had no ex-
perience in the use of fungicideS on
coffee but from the beneficial results
| in the case of other plants it is prob
able that good would follow the appli-
cation of bordeaux mixture. | Sug-
gest that the mixture be prepared in
accordance with the directions given
| in our Farmers Bulletin No. SO, half
| dozen copies of which are forwarded
to you today under another cover. and
4
sible to both the leaves and berries.
| The first application should be made
| if possible in advance of the fungus
and further treatments every ten days
or two weeks, about as suggested for
the disease of the grape in the bulle-
| tin sent. OF course in such case as
| this experiments will have to be made
| in a limited way at first and then II
the work is found beneficial it can be
| extended.
| l also forward you several copies OF
a circular on a Central American
| Coffee Disease and trust they may be
of interest TO you. We shall be glad
| to furnish any further information IN
our power and shall be pleased to hear
| from you as to any experiments in the
way of treatment that may be made
| Yours very truly,
| (Signedo B. T. GALLOWAY.
| Chief of Division.