Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1903-12-31
OFFICIAL FARMERS
NOT WITHOUT FEAR
PASS THE BANANAS

Not since the question of the admls.
sion of suspected shipment of Aus.
tralian pineapples to J. d. Dole and X,
A. Jordan has such a strenuous con.
test occurred in the Board of Agricul.
ture and Forestry as that of yesterday
afternoon over the acceptance OF a
shipment of Bluefelds bananas.
The famous pineapple controversy
was brought up as somewhat analogous
to the present case. In the pineapple
case the fruit was destroyed, private
authoritative information from Aus.
tralia proving the plants dangerously
affected by pest which might ruin
the industry II once allowed to spread
here. Dole sacrificed his pineapples
pro bono publco and Jordan was per
suaded to return his plants for des
truction.
In the banana proposition. the Board
imported, after great trouble and de
lay, lot of Bluefelds banana cuttings
At yesterdays meeting Of the Board
there was much strenuous discussion
as to whether the bananas should be
permitted to live as they had been
found to be diseased.
Professor Perkins had found re
mains OF the cane borer and other in.
sect life in the cuttings. He was in.
clined to be suspicious but refrained
from definite opinion one way or the
other. He started the alarm in refer.
ence to the cane borer and there
seemed to be some feeling that the
sugar interests might be jeopardized
by permitting the banana cuttings to
live.
A. W. Carter stated that the sugar
industry was now the country's main.
stay but that fact should not cause
the Board to destroy the banana ship.
ment just because there was posi-.
bility' of danger to the cane interests
lurking therein. II was not fair or
just to folks who might make their liv.
ing raising bananas. Bananas here
had a bright future and groundless
fear for cane should not nip prospects
Of diversified interests in the bud.
These were also J. ID. Dole's senti.
ments. He believed we could make
great thing out OF fruit culture here.
J. L. Higgins. of the U. s. Experiment
Station, thought Hawaii capable of
being a banana garden successful
enough to supply the Western coast.
II was finally agreed not to destroy the
shipment, but to turn the bananas over
to the Federal Experiment Station for
termination. There they will he close.
ly watched lest cane borers or other
threatening pests. should break loose
and lay waste the land. Higgins said
that history showed the borers never
harmed bananas.
1t was decided. after considerable
argument, that hereafter inter.island
steamers should be subjected to the
same supervision "a chronological
inspection in the transportation OF
plants as the Board requires with
trans.Pacific vessels.
Professor Koebele writes intimating
that the Board Is likely soon to lose his
services and Directing to being called
home at present. The Board con.
cluded to cable him to remain at his
discretion. 1t is hoped that Koebele
will make the contemplated Australian
trip before quitting the Board. He
has done very thorough work in rela
ton to hunting and obtaining the leaf
hopper parasite in Ohio. Koebele "
now in California.
Trees at the nursery which have
outgrown their baby clothes, to.wit:
IoXes and pots, and have become too
big for the nursery, are to be sold.
Board accepted the offer of the Ha.
waiian Live Stock Breeders Assoca,
ton to put their library In the posses
sion of the Board until the Breeders
get building.
Jared Smiths request for $500 for
chemical apparatus was deferred I'm.
til after the going into effect of the
lS.months' bill.