Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1903-11-05
AtALY BUG PEST
METHODS FOR PROTECTING
PEAR AND Flo TRIES
VALUABLE INSTRUCTIONS ISSUED
BY FEDERAL EXPERIMENT
STATION PRACTICAL
REMEDIES.

\ scale insect locally known as
Pear Blight" Is the cause Of consider.
able damage and Disagreement to
shade and fruit trees in the vicinity Of
Honolulu. and also. generally through
out the Islands The pest is not prop.
.rly q blight, as that term Is more gen.
orally understood among the scientific
workers. This insect, properly known
as O mealy bug. commonly infests the
hg ruava. broadfruit and especially
n" alligator pear. It's general pres.
nee on the latter tree accounts for its
local name, Pear Blight. A large
number OF experiments have been
made by the Station EntOmologist in
Treating alligator pear and other trees
With protective washes. These expert
mcnts have demonstrated that II is
possible for any one who will take the
trouble to do So not only to rid pear
trees OF this injurious mealy bug, but
10y occasional applications, to keep the
trees entirely free from other serious
insect pests Of this class.
The four fruits named above. the al.
iigatur pear. fig, guava and breadfruit,
comprise some Of our best and most
common fruits. There Is already Il
small export trade in the alligator
pear While the taste for this fruit Is
.D many instances an acquired one,
nevertheless those who like It are will
ing 70 pay a good price for It, There
is already considerable demand for II
N the Pacific Coast markets. and the
trade could undoubtedly be much eX'
tended. as this fruit can be shipped In
cold storage. The same is true, to
some extent, of the other fruits com.
monty infested with this mealy bug.
Even II the mealy bug does not de.
stroy the tree II blemishes the fruits,
making these unfit for market. Con
rsrted action. on the part of those who
have alligator pear trees and other
fruits. would, in many instances, save
the trees from destruction.
JARED G. SMITH.
Remedies.
Precautionary measures: In the de-
struction of all insect pests, proven
. lim, usually placed under the head OF
precautionary measures, is a very
important factor in keeping them from
bccoming establish or, II established in
keeping them under control. Up ia
the present time there has been in Ha
wall no attempt to cultivate the ALI
Cator pear; that Is. there are no orch
NJ N %
ON the mainland. The conditions un
der which the trees are growing arc
not favorable for the best growth and
production. The trees suffering most
from the attack are in closely planted
door yards where they receive no Cul
tiyation or pruning and little attention
A tree cannot well serve a double pur
pose II an ornamental tree Is desired
IL would be better to uprdot the peaI
and put a more suitable tree in "s
place. A tree to produce fruit must
be pruned and cultivated and this
means destruction Of the sod about
its roots and the cutting away OF Ger
tain branches which will in many cases
lessen its value for shade and its beau
ty as an ornamental tree. Cultivation
will increase the yigor and productive
ness. To resist the attacks Of insects
and disease the vigor Of a plant must
be maintained.
Marlatt says, THE value of pruning
as a means Of preventing scaleinsect
injury cannot be too strongly urged
Scale insects thrive best where they
are protected from direct sunlight ant
free movement Of the air, hence trees