The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-09-10
"A PEST MORE !
DANGEROUS
Lantana Blight is
Worse Than
Plant.
PROF. KOEBELE
MAKES REPORT
New Pest is a Menace to Forest
Trees and Spread Should
Be Stopped.

Be stopped.
Honolulu. August 9. 1881
Mr. Wray Taylor, Commissioner of Agri-
culture and Forestry.
S.r:-I herewith submit notes on the
Lantana scale, Orthezia Insignls, Doug
las affecting those plants On the Island
of Maui.
PAST HISTORY.
Mr.. E.. E. Green, the present Govern
ment Entomologist OF Ceyion, gives US
the first record OF the habit OF this insect
in Tropical Agr1culturist, Jan 1895 y
have IN my possession reprint Of this
paper entitled, IAN Important Insect
Enemy and the Need for Planters to
Guard Against It's Spread quote from
his paper the following:
TN Dr. Trimens Annual Report on the
Botanical Gardens for 1895, mention was
made of the occurrence in the Peradeniya
Gardens of Serious insect-pest which
was most destructive TO the ornamental
shrubs there. AS this pest has been in
creasing very rapidly and has already
spread beyond the limits of the Gardens,
1t Is important that general attention
should be drawn to 1t.
within the Peradeniya Gardens e.
forts are being made to keep 1t in
check; but 1t has appeared on lantana III
the .neighborhood. and there is no know
ing where it will stop. It has fortunate.
ly as yet shown no taste for either of
our two most important producrs-tea
and cacao. Coffee. however, does not
share this immunity, for trees of Liberf-
an coffee have been observed to be in
Tested with the insect. and We have no
reason to suppose that the Arabian spe-
.cies will be less liable to attack.
DIR. Trimen Is Of opinion that this Is
mainly garden pest. and does not ex-
pect that 1t will spread to estates It is
to be hoped that this prediction win
prove correct; but II would be unwse to
ignore the fact that II unchecked, the
pest might spread enormously and might
possibly develop tasts for other plants;
as was the case with the 'fF1utei Scale
Ucerya purchasD. which at first prac-
ucaliy confined to acacia and orange
trees; finally became almost onnfvorous.
"Forewarned Ia forearmed;" and. though
1t would be most imprudent to create
scare 1t ia still most advisable to point
out a possible danger.
"As mentioned above. the insect has
obtained a foothoid upon lantana.
Should 1t become widely and firmly es-
tablished, 1t will be extremely difficult to
deal with, and wherever lantana -four
ishes, there will be stronghold OF the.
pest Though most accommodating in
It's tastes, this bug at present shows a
preference for plants belonging to the
natural orders Acanthaceae, Rubiaoeae
(Which includes coffee and cinchona), and
Verbenacsae (of which lantsaa Is a men,
ber). To the first of these orders belong
our numerous species "Netu'' (Strobilan-
thes), which might form another posi-
I. d. Jxs.oa J{,,r,
even more impregnable than the lantana
scrub.''
AS a remedy to eradicate the pest, Mr..
Green has this to say:
Determined efforts should be made to
stamp out the pest upon its first appear
ance in any locality. Infected plants
should be treated on the spot, regardless
| of expense and, If necessary, with COM
plete sacrifice of the plant. Too great
stress cannot be laid upon the impor-
lance of Treatment upon the spot Ia
all cases of serious insect-pests. The
pruning Of affected plants and subsequent
carriage of the cuttings to some spot
where they might be burnt or buried
would only serve to SOW the pests broad
cast along the route of transport. How
ever much fixture the adult insect may
seem to be. as in the case of many OF
| the scalebugs, 1t must be remembered
| that the young are very minute, very &C.
tive, and usually very numerous.
Should colony of the insects be dis
/ covered upon any plant good-sized
hole might be dug beside 1t, In which a
| fire Of dry hrushwood and grass could
be lighted. The plant should then be
cut down or pruned to bare poles, the
prunings thrown directly onto the fire
and all dead leaves and rubbish from be-
low the plant swept into the hole. The
| hole should afterwards be filled with
earth to prevent the escape of any pos
, sible survivors.
/ In places where the pest has establish
I ed itself on lantana or other waste land
such patches should be fred.
I "on cultivated land such extreme meas
ures VIII usually be impracticable. In
+ this case repeated and thorough spray
{ ing with Insecticides will be the only
available course. For the purpose kero-
I sene-soap emulsion would probably be
the most effective and. economical IT
should be very carefully and thoroughly
I applied, and should be repeated at short
] intervals until the pest has been exter-
minated. Where practicable it would be
advisable to first prune the trees (burn-
i ing and burying the prunings as sug-
gested above), and then to spray the re-
naming stems and branches.
| THE formula for kerosene emulsion Isl
Kerosene observation-disclosures. 2 gallons
common soap ID
water ,.'-................-..... l gallon
dissolve the soap in water heated to
| boiling. Add the kerosene to the hot
mixture, and churn till it forms a thick
eream on cooling. Dilute with from nine
1 to twelve times water for application
As far as known to me, the insect is
| still present in Ceylen and also in India,
and it viii always be a troublesome pest
until the proper natural enemy can be
i found.
In an article on ''The Eradication OF
Lantana Scandens, in the Indian For
/ ester, Vol. XVII. No. 1. PIP. %, 50, the
writer mentions in addition, Cinchona,
/ belonging to the Rubiaceae; the ked
( Pepper and Tomato of the large order Of
( Salanaceae The article IS Of interest
ana We give It herewith:
1 The other enemy Is. fortunately, not
Eyet very %ell known IN india.
+ This enemy IS scaie-bJlg Orthezia
Insignis. originally discovered at Kew,
/ where Il was csrusing damage III the