The Hawaiian gazette., 1901-10-22
MAY CURE
TARO ILLS
Experiments Show
Blight May
Cease.

After two months growth taro, plant
ed in ground which had of recent crops
produced none but badly b'ighted roots,
Is in fine shape, and proceeding toward
fun development with every indication
of being as high class as any crop In the
Islands. The experiment was made in
the fields of Judge Wilcox at kalihi, and
has gone, so far, to prove the absolute
truth Of the theory of Prof. &. F. Sedg-
wick. now assistant director of the Unit
ed States experiment station.
While Prof. Sedgwick will not claim
that he has found positive cure Tor
the blight which is ravaging the taro
fields of the entire group, he says he rs
quite well satisfied with the expert
ments so far, and that he anticipates
40 other result than that the crop Will
mature in fine shape. The ground select
I'D FOR this experiment, which was to be
a continuation of those which he had
made while at the Kamehameha schools,
was plot of 100 by IS feet, or about
onc-sixth of an acre. This ground HAD
become badly infected and the roots
which were produced Were excellent
specimens of the ravages of the blight.
This caused it's selection for the expert
ment and the results have been most
gratifying to the official
The theory upon which the experiments
were based was that the disease of the
taro was in the form of "A fungus or
bacteria, which thrved only in acid so:is.
This conclusion was reached from the
development which followed experiments
with virgin soils, and on grounds where
there was no sign of the blight. This
fact was accompanied by the relative
ones that the disease was always found
in old fields, where the soils had been
washed of their alkalis and where the
tests showed superabundance OF acids.
With these results established, by the
experiments upon the new lands at the
schools and the observations at other
points, the work of making a thorough
test, which would establish points which
would serve as bases upon which to build
~ scientific statement was undertaken.
The soil of the field which was set
aside for the test was round to be acid.
The first treatment was with slaked
lime, which would cure the acidity. The
treatment was very heavy, in fact, twice
the amount which is prescribed for prac
tice being used Five barrels OF the
slaked lime was mixed with the soil and
the plants were then introduced, the
usual seedlings being used in the plant
ing of the piece. From the first there
was seen to be healthy growth of the
plants, and now that the two months
have passed there Is no sign OF the blight
which has in the past rendered the prod
t't Oh tHlS ltnu useless.
Following out the experiments OF the
past there will be tried now a further
line of tests to discover whether or not
the yield may not be increased beyond
what ordinarily would be expected. The
fertilizers which will be put ON the soil
will be phosphates and potash combna-
tons with lines. These will be used
tonic to the soil. which has been
dcbiiitated by the constant cropping and
no uShi In ,.hs oh
has been subjected. Should these expert
mcnts show that the product is inc eased
in amount and at the same time not
drteriorated in flavor by the additions
made to the soils the result will be OF
much benefit to the Territory.
The greatest hopes are placed In the
new experiment from the fact that tn.
experiments which are being made at
kaihi are not the only ones which arc
being made at the present time. The
theory of Prof. Sedgwick, with the re-
suits of his first experiments, Were pub
lished in fun in communication from
him TO the Advertiser of May 18th, of
This year. These facts coming to the
attention of certain of the taro growers
they began experimentation as we'll
Prof. Sedgwick, while he has had no Off
cial notice of what has resulted from the
tests said yesterday that he had heard
indirectly that the results had been tn,.
same as he had noted in the work now
under way at Kalihi. Efforts will be
made to collect such data as is procura-
BILE. as the intention of the local exper.-
mcnt station is to publish the results
of its tests as Il bulletin for the farmers
of the Territory, some time next year.
II will be necessary to take this time
owing to the fact that there must be in
cluded in the summary "A record of the
tests to the limit.
The value of the tests in connection
with the taro yield cannot be estimated.
There has been before this tin" only one
suggestion which seems to have been
taken seriously by the growers, who
have looked into the spread of the DIS
"as,. This was to allow the land to lie
idle for period variously estimated at
from two to four years. This would
lead to the washing out of the soil OF
the acids which the experiments have
shown are directly responsible for the
disease. These come principally from de-
cHyinS organic matter, and the applca-
lion of the slaked lime neutralizes their
effect at once, accomplishing the same
results as allowing the land to lie fall
low for long period
As to the treatment of the soil rec
commended from the experience gained
from the experiments as thus far prose
Cuted, there seems to be a dispos,tio to
make the first dose of lime given TO the
land fairly heavy The amount of lime
prescribed Is at the ratio OF fifteen bar
relS to the acre. Professor Scdgwick
VIII try and secure reports upon any
Investigations made by growers upon all
the Islands, and is quite hopeful of sue
cess in his experiments
In addition to this pest Mr.. Sedgwick
is now preparing to make a trip TO Maui
for the purpose of investigating the po-
tato blight He has a theory upon this
subject, too, but will say nothing about
II until he has made some experiments.