The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-01-30

CONDITIONS.
Local Lemon Growers
Are Sanguine.
AHEAD orc CAST FRUITS
Credit is Given to Professor koebele
for Importation Of
Lady-bird.

Iemon-groWing as an industry has
where it can be considered successful
from an agricultural standpoint, but in
certain parts Of Honolulu and the sur
rounding valleys are to be seen many
trees of the Sicilian species bearing
fruit which would warm the cookies OF
an agriculturist's heart. Up to within
a few years ago it was impossible TO
attempt growing lemons, or in fact any
varieties of the citrus family, on &C
count of the scale which destroyed the
usefulness of the fruit.
! In Nuuanu and Manoa valleys the ST.
Gillian lemons planted a few years since
| are bearing with remarkable success,
the fruit being in most eases larger
than an ordinary sized orange, with
rough skin, beautifully colored to
golden hue when ripe. Lemons OF this
variety have been brought to town
from various orchards in Nuuanu, the
fruit there being larger than any so ia:
grown in Manoa valley. Some or the
lemons are four inches in diameter,
beautifully colored, rich with juice, ana
make a lemonade which has no com
lparison with the juice of the fruit hali-
ling from California or other Mainland
noints. The lime which is now grown
extensively in the Islands, is cheaper
to produce than the lemon and at pres
ent brings in more revenue than that
to be derived from the same numner OF
lemons. The lime, however, makes
less TASTY lemonade than the Sicillan
lemon.
Commissioners of Agriculture Wray
TAYLOR states that there would nave
been no growth for either the lime or
the lemon had it not been for the earn
est efforts of Professor Koebeie, Gov
eminent entomologist. AT one time the
trees would not bear
s Koebele interested himself in dlscoV-
ering a remedy to eradicate the de-
s structive scale and imported the We
{ Idalia Cardinals, or ladybug, which at
{ tackled the cotton-like cushion seals
: and succeeded in clearing 1T out.
{ The ladybird had previously been IN
3 strumental in clearing out the scal'
3 from the California orchards. koeoeis
3 also procured the Cryptolaemus, o.
3 species of the ladybird, which work
; on the citrus trees of the lemon an.
4 orange varieties, and destroyed Tn
3 blight The blights on lime and lemcl
s trees in Hawaii are almost wholly de
s stroyed If blight is to be seen upol
lany of these trees, the ladybirds ar
s sure to be waiting about. in their vi
g lcinity and making a fierce attack upol
s what they either deem their enemle
g or their regular sources of food supply
s The greatest trouble which Professo
& Koebele> has in getting the blight seal
-, ,e,tn of
& portations of the ladybugs, is /
6 preventing the ants from working int
6 it also. The ladybirds will not touc
8 the ants, and in some instances the val
6 us of their work is materially affecte
3 by this pest.
6 Seeds for the Sicilian lemon WEI
& brought here from California and dis
& trfbuted to many people who take a
= especial interest in the rearing of fruit
Z of a rare class. At present the lemo
3 industry is worth cultivating, as tn
= present regulations of the Terrltorlf
= Government strictly prohibit the I'M
q portation of lines, lemons and othe
= citrus fruits from the South Seas
g Australia, and the supplies are depend
g ient almost entirely upon local produe
& ton.
s. This regulation has been enforced o
6 account of the presence of the maggo'
& flies which are destructive, and the
s introduction in larger numbers IS nc
4 to be desired. For the same reaso
9 California is guarding against the IN
& portation of soils from Hawaii, TAM
Z or the South Seas in order that an
Z blight, scale or pests of the insular eA
& porting countries may not be introdut
= ed. Having succeeded in finding de
9 stroyer for the citrus fruit blight Fro
q lessor Koebele has now turned almo!
= his entire attention to the destructlo
& of the cane borer by means of fungi
(, land the japanese beetle, with fair Sgt
e Iof success.
= Exports Of the United States.