Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1902-11-18

these species survive at all is probably
due to their being extremely prolific,
and for the reason. II exempt from dis
ease here, they should be very effica-
| cious.
(3) Many Of the most important de-
stroyers Of the lantana have SO far
been received only in very small num-
bers largely owing to the extent to
which they are parasitized) and at the
same time they will not lay their eggs
nor even pair in confinement. Owing
to the presence In the Islands OF the
scale bug known as the lantana blight,
| find that there is general impress
sion that the Mexican insects are of
the same sluggish character requiring
TO be spread by hand to he effective.
On the contrary, some of these are ex-
traordinarily active and an individual
liberated here in the morning, might
easily be at the other end Of the island
by midday. II well established this
certainly will greatly facilitate the
spread OF such species, but when one
has only two or three individuals to
turn out which start off in different di-
rections one cannot overlook the pos
pibility that they may never meet
again to effect pairing. Had the ma
ture OF the habits Of many of these
important insects have been known be-
preparations for their reception on n
large scale they could have been induc-
ed to breed in captivity, but they GER
tainly will not do so, when enclosed
over single growing bush In the
open.
AS to the final success OF the work
Of importing lantana enemies person
ally | should not at present care to
/ express decided opinion. The expert
ment is, so far as | know, absolutely
unique, nothing of a similar kind hsv-
ing been attempted In other countries.
can only say that Mr.. Koebele be-
lieves that he will succeed, provided
that he is allowed his own time. / have
all along estimated the time neces-
sary for the work to be longer than he
has, though latterly find he inclines
to my view. The best season In Mexico
Is comparatively short and | think 1t
unlikely that we shall get all the de-
stroyers already known to us imported
before this ends. Moreover there il o
lantana country south as yet unvisited
where there may be large number OF
other destroyers. have made no at
tempt to estimate the amount spent in
recent years on clearing land of Ian
tana but imagine It is to be SO large
as to make the cost OF the present ex-
pertinent insignificant even II Mr.. Koe-
belle is given all the time he wants for
further researches. Collecting in tho
hot country In Mexico is las myself
have experienced) extremely laborious,
and | have at times feared that he
might find 1t necessary TO give up, or
be unable to return there, II this is
desirable. This would be a matter OF
much regret as his knowledge is now
invaluable and II would no doubt take
another man more than seasons
work TO arrive at this.
AS to the species that have already
been turned loose in greater or less
numbers, none Of these so far as pos
sibly can be foreseen, are likely to do
damage to plants other than lantana.
One or two which might have been
established have been discarded at
least temporarily, from perhaps an
excess of caution. Many excellent enc
mics of lantana in Mexico are OF course
out OF the question, since they would
certainly damage other plants.
Incidentally in breeding the things
over here to eliminate parasites, many
interesting facts we're observed. Thus