Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1902-12-20
AAWA||ANA(R|(UlTURE.
SECRETARY WILSON In
HIS ANNUAL REPORT
REVIEWS WORK OF LOCAL STA.
TioN-coNsIDERs OFFICERS
HAVE DONE IMPORTANT
EXPERIMENTS.

Washington. D. C.. Dec. lin his
annual report TO the President the Sec
rotary OF Agriculture makes the fol-
lowing reference to the Hawaiian Ex-
pertinent Station.
A large amount OF work has been
done at the Hawaii experiment sta
ton during the past year in clearing
and preparing for cultivation portions
OF the tract reserved for the station
and establishing plantations OF fruit
and other valuable trees and expert
mental plats. The buildings begun the
previous year were completed. and the
station now possesses residence for
the special agent in charge. an Office
and laboratory. stable. cottages for
laborers. water tanks, etc.
Experiments have been begun with
potatoes and taro to overcome the very
destructive diseases which seem TO
threaten the extinction OF these crops.
Taro forms the principal food OF the
Hawaiians. and the ravages OF the
blight have so curtailed the supply
that there has been actual suffering Ia
some places because OF the shortage.
At present the experiments are being
confined to the lowland taro. and an
effort Is being made to find some rem
edy for the disease that attacks tho
root Dry-land taro does not appear
10 be as susceptible to disease. but II
will be studied also. 1t was found ia
many cases that immature and dis
eased cuttings were used for planting
The lowland form OF taro requires ex-
tensiye irrigation, and in practice tho
land is kept flooded for considerable
time. Whenever the water was al
lowed to become stagnant II was found
that the root rot was most prevalent.
by the use OF fertilizers II was found
possible to actively stimulate the
growth OF the plant and make Il less
liable 10 disease. Wherever a liberal
application of lime was made there,
was no disease. and with care In the
management Of the water. selection OF
cuttings, rotation of'crops, use 81 lime
and fertilizers II was found possible to
not only reduce the disease, but TO con-
siderably increase the production OF
the crop.
The experiments with potatoes were
conducted upon the island OF Maui IN
cooperation with one OF the residents
OF that island. This island formerly
produced the most OF the potatoes
grown In the archipelago A disease
locally known as black rot has for ten
or more years been seriously depreciat-
ing the crop. This. as has been de-
,ermiped by the station authorities. Ia
due 10 q soil fungus. and experiments
are being undertaken TO combat IT, In
he field Investigations 90 varieties
Of potatoes were grown under similar
conditions, and marked differences
we're noted in the susceptibility OF the
varieties to disease. This work Is 10
be followed up in the hope that some
sorts may be found which are nearly
OF quite resistant TO disease
investigations were begun on the
diseases OF poultry. and a bulletin was
issued In which suggestions were given
for the care OF fowls and treatment OF
the diseases to which they are especial
~ subject, and as result OF which
poultry and eggs are excessively ex-
penslve In the Hawaiian markets.
Atantion h,s .iso h.an o,vo, 30 al
ar plnnts monvoes the easter boan
n,neapnles hammers ana rrhhor anI
lcork oal trees and other nIan,s ha.
lIIeved worthy n, investigo,inn ana 40
yelonment study hos aIso haan
made regarding the uso NJ nunns ,or
IRRIGATION nurnoses I'm rho uawai,an
islands WHARF Tho numnIng OF ~a1ar
for his nurnose has In an nrobah,Ii,v
reached its hIyhos, deyelnnment Mon,