The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1902-03-27
FOUND HARMFUL BUGS
NATURALIST PERKINS STOPS
NONIOUS INSECTS.
Came in Cuttings From Samoa-Wash-
ington Asks for Full Description of
Hawaiian Reptilia.

The value of appointing r. c. L. Per-
kins as temporary entOmOlOgist during
the absence of Professor kOebele, was
emphasized yesterday before koebele
had got well away from the territory.
A number of cuttings sent up from Sa-
mOa which packed in moss We're inVeStl-
gated by Mr.. Perkins as they came off
the Sierra with the result that While the
cuttings themselves We're practically
immune the moss packing was dis
covered to be alive with insects, some
of which We're new to Hawaii and might
have proven inimical had they not been
promptly destroyed
Naturalist Perkins thinks it very
possible that the Japanese beetle may
have been introduced here many years
ago through the lack of a skilled in
spector. Such an official, ten or twelve
years ago, would it is thought, have
prevented most of the enemies to Vege-
table life from entering the territory
Theo cuttings themselves have been
carefully treated and will be put to the
uses for which they were originally de-
signed.
Commissioner Wray TaylOrs expert
mental garden has been laid waste and
the last relics are being given away in
the shape of bundles of guinea grass.
The alterations in the outhouses in the
capitol grounds and the order to plant
the corner with grass rendered the Civ
ing up of the garden a necessity 1t
was found quite useful during its salad
days as an object lesson to those en-
curing after various grasses and
plants at the commissioners office who
would then be shown the article "a
growing and a blowing"
Panicum grass which has been shown
by government analysis to be better
food for stock than cane tops or other
forage, has been enthusiastically taken
hold of by the ranCheTs. Among others
Henry Waterhouse has stocked his
ranch with the grass and is strong in
its praise The present supply comes
from an acre Of the grass which is be-
ing grown up Nuuanu valley. The
experiments and sample patches Of
grasses for fodder have been transfer
red to the government nursery on King
street the mauka Eva corner of the
grounds having been planted with the
most promising varieties.
A letter has been sent from the Bio
logical Survey Department asking
Commissioner Wray Taylor to send full
descriptions of all reptiles on the islands
particularly the noNious ones. Wray
Taylors reply will not involve any
great preparation nor be of great length
the only two reptiles here being the
common lizard harmless and somewhat
helpful as a mosquito destroyer and its
cousin the scorpion, who seldom at
tains yirulent size or shape here.
Snakes we have none.
The information being collected by
the department at Washington is in
tended to keep guard against the en-
trance of any noXious reptiles into the
United States. Such dangers would
most probably occur here through the
escape Of some specimens from a ira
yelling show or museum although ON
two occasions water snake from the
Orient have been imported i'm bales of
hay, both being promptly killed upon
discovery.
The specimens Of blight which We're
prepared and framed for reference by
the commissioner against the departure
of the entomOlOgist have already come
in handily. With them, two specimens
of blight sent down from Lahaina, We're
identified by Wray Taylor this
morning and instructions for treatment
will be sent up on the next boat