The Hawaiian gazette., 1901-10-29
BLIGHT OF
POTATOES
Prof. Sedgwick on
the Pest of
Maui.

MAUI, oct. 26.-The potato blight,
which Is now prevalent throughout
the Kula farming region, is rather pc
culiar according to one of the Por-
tuguese farmers of Waiakoa. 1t is a
white scale having an appearance OF
fine salt or snow. This white matter
takes possession of the plant during
the night. and when the hot sun of
MONDAY shines upon 1t, the stalks and
leaves wither up and die. The bli1n
has been serious check to potato
culture for two years past. Recently,
no planting has been done in Kula ex.
cept by a few Chinese, on account of
the prevailing drought.
Professor Sedgwick. who has been
at Haleakala ranch during the week,
has been investigating the matter, and
states that it is the regular dry rot.
l.. Won Tempsky, manager of the
ranch, has promised "a piece of land
on which he can experiment and, If
possible, find some remedy for the dis
ease.
Mr.. Sedgwick says that the dry rot
should be described as black, and not
as white, but that the fungus which
! finally goes down to the tuber, prob
ably changes color.
| Mr.. Sedgwick departs for Honolulu
today, but will soon return to Maka-
wac. There are about 1000 acres in
kula under cultivation devoted to corn
and potatoes, 1000 acres being set
apart for the raising of the latter, and
as this acreage is occupied by small
Observation-Disclosures, japanese and
Chinese-the government should rem
der all aid possible to eradicate this
trouble, which has proved too powerful
FOR the farmers to cope with
FATAL ACCIDENT.
Thursday morning. the cath, a fatal
accident occurred in the well of the
large Paia camp, some distance below
| the mill.
| Three Portuguese were at work eX-
cavatng, ten or twelve feet below the
surface. They were charging the well
| from the top of the earth downward
when a cave-in took plpace, completely
burying the men. Before assistance
could be rendered, one of the men
John TeXeira, was smothered to death
Tho other two are now at Paia planta
ton hospital. They We're badly bruis.
ed on every part of their bodies. One
of them had a broken jaw and collar.
zones, and the other had his ear near
ly severed from its base, and got q
deep hole in the side of his head. Botf
men were so badly injured that there
Is doubt as to their ultimate recovery
Deputy Sheriff kalama swore in {
coroner's jury which will not meet t,
consider verdict until the condition
of the two men warrants it,
PASTURE FIRE.
on Saturday evening, the 18TH a pas
ture FIRE on the Waihee side of kaha
kuloa Point. presented a most brillian
spectacle. 1t extended three or fou
miles in length, and from the road u
the slope of the West Maui noun
tainS to green and moist vegetation
No serious damage was done, excep
! the temporary loss of pasture to tn
Waikiki Sugar Company. BY daylgh
: Sunday morning the fire had eithe
burned itself out or been eXtinguish
ed.
FATHER BOARMAN.
Last evening, the 25th, the celebrate
r priest. Father Boarman, gave q lee
ture in the Wailuku Catholic Church
4. before u large audience. His subjeC
,, was the catholic Church." it's au
thority as the true church having bee
granted it by st. Peter, and successive
ly handed down to the pope of tn
present time. He made a most favora
BILE impression upon his hearers.
MISCELLANEOUS.
Recently, in Waiakoa. Kula waite
has been selling at the rate of 5 cent
for 5-gallon tin.
Sunday, the Goth, the steamer Cali
= fornian arrived in Kahului, from He
nolulu. and after taking on board % &c
5 sacks of Spreckelsville sugar. sale
for Delaware breakwater on Wednes
day night, the 23d.
Rev. Mr.. Thwing, of Honolulu, wi
. preach at the Paia Foreign Church &c
u morrow, the eth.
e Arthur ID. Baldwin, Esq, is visitin
{ his parents, Mr.. and Mrs. II. p. Bale
Il win.
Mis-. w. o. Smith returns to Honolulu
today, after a brief visit to her daugf
e ter at Hamuakuapoko.
During the week from an inch
: three or four inches of rain have falle