The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1904-11-14

asst entomologists otto NJ Swezey
asst. entomulogist
Messrs. koebele and Craw are m the
joint service Of the Territorial govern
ment and Of this association. the for
mer having been abroad for some time
past making strenuous efforts to secure
parasites to prey on the cane leaf hop
per- whilst the latter has lately been
engaged by the Territorial Board Of
Agriculture for the purposs OF inspect
ing all vegetable matter introduced in
to the Territory.
In May last, after much unavoidable
delay, arrangements were satisfactur-
lily concluded with Messrs. Kocbcle and
Perkins TO undertake field work iu
Australia for the special purpose of
securing a parasite for the cane leaf
hopper. Word has since been received
that these entomologists have so far
been successful i'm their mission, g. e.,
several species Of parasites and other
insects attacking cane leaf hopper i'm
the egg state, i'm the larval state and
when mature, have been discovered by
them in Queensland, all Of these hav-
ing undoubtedly been the means of
keeping the cane hopper in check in
that country. All of these insects the
entomolOgists hope to introduce here
successfully the great drawback at
this time being, however, the distance
in transportation.
In regard to these several parasites
Messrs Koebele and Perkins write
that, providing the climatic conditions
in Hawaii are as suitable to their pro-
pagation and distribution as they are
i'm Queensland, the time is not far dis
tant when the cane leaf hopper pest
will be thing Of the past. The final
success Of the experiment will. how
ever, entirely depend upon the success
full breeding of the parasites after ar
rival in Honolulu. What is said to be
the most important of these parasites
arrives in an immature condition, j. e..
in the form of parasatised egg Of the
cane leaf hopper. As an Illustration OF
the careful attention these consign-
ments require it may be here stated
that the parasite upon emerging from
the egg of the hopper is so minute as
to require the use of the strongest kind
of a lens to detect it, and the glass Jars
in which are placed the small sections
Of cane leaves containing the parasa-
tised eggs have to be inspected ant
gone over with the lens several time.
each day. II is unfortunate that you
committee is unable, at the date of thil
report (September 3Oth) to record tn
successful breeding out of these mos
important parasites Of which two cor
signments have so far been received
The entomologists, however report In
successful breeding of several new spe
cies of lady-birds and an ear,vig sen
from Australia by Koebele ana Ter
kins, all of which feed on the cane ap
his and the very young hopper. (Sjnc,
the closing of the report IL, committe,
has been informed by the A;t.ng 81
perintendent of the Division thac SOM
of the much desired hopr-r agS~;r.ra
sites from the asst consi-n:n ~ son; u!
Perkins and Eoebele have hatche,
QUO.
1t is the intention II this division &
publish from time TO time bulletins o.
such subjects as it may have had IN
der examination and which have bee
sufficiently investigated to warrant a
official publication. Up to the prcseu
time the only bulletins published hav
been those Of DIr S|pe ''ntand"nI %h,ls
acting in a similar capacity for tn
Board of Agriculture of this Territor!
As these bulletins are now out of prir
, and particularly refer to the work tn
division Of this station has now und,
investigation, your committee has Dc
cided to reprint them in this repor
AS to the Agricultural division of tn
station work, the committees repO
contains the following:
There has been for some time past
difference Of opinion among SON
managers of plantations relative to II
value of results obtained from the fel
work at the station the conditions e>
> listing there i'm reference to climate an
. soil being radically different from thos
CONTINUED on page six)