The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-04-06

beie, Salaried agent of the Division
OF Entomology, working under the
direction of the late DR.. Riley, but
whose travelling expenses were de-
frayed from the fund appropriated by
Congress for the representation OF the
United States at the Melbourne Elk
position. A later trip to Australian re-
gions was undertaken by Mr.. Koebels
while still on the pay rolls of the
Division of Entomology, but his ex-
penses were paid from the appropria-
ton granted by California to its State
board of horticulture. The results of
this second trip, although not as con-
elusive as those of the first trip. still
demonstrated in marked degree the adj
vantage of this class of international
work. namely. the introduction of
beneficial insects from one country to
another" A great many similar impor-
tation have been made by Prof Koebele
and other American and foreign en-
tomologists, but this initial importa-
ton of Vidalia cardinals into Califor-
MIA remains unique in the history OF
this branch of economic entomology
That parasites and predatory insects
are an important factor in the control
of insects injurious to cultivated crops
no one denies, but that they are the
most important factor remains yet to
be proven. In only the one instance
cited above has such status been
definitely established
AS a result of oft repeated expert
ments and observations it has come to
be accepted as natural law that
either plants or animals introduced in
to new country where conditions are
exceptionally favorable develop with
extreme rapidity. The cause is two
fold, on the one hand increase in food
supply and removal of the natural
enemies that beset them in their ma
tive home; and a certain mental or
nervous stimulus tending to produce
greater fecundity. 1t is as when
pent up stream bursts the barriers
which have contained it. The fury of
its waters wreaks greatest destruc-
ton nearest to its source. AS the wa
ters spread out over the level broader
valleys below the force and angry
power is lost. With invasions of new
pests into our cultivated fields the
same principle holds absolutely true
To illustrate. Thirty years ago the
Colorado potato beetle which had lived
on a wild plant. Solanum rostratum,
transferred its affections to the Irish
potato, Solanum tuberosum, finding in
this introduced cultivated crop more
abundant food, better to it's liking.
From Colorado this Potato Bug |
swept eastward in a wave of devasta- |
ton that carried panic to the minds |
Of potato growers all over the world. |
Since it's first epidemic invasion thirty |
years ago there has never been a SINH /
ar one, and the Colorado beetle has
travelled a ho xynT.Id In nff m
he barriers of legislation erected by |
nan against it. The Colorado beetle
Exists today insevery potato patch in
America, but farmers still plant pota-
oes and make money out of them, and
he world has not been forced to sub
Ititute some other food plant for the
potato as was confidently predicted.
The Colorado potato beetle is response
lie for the first insect quarantine laws
nd also for the discovery of the value
f arsenical remedies against the enc
MES of field crops. In it's migrations
his insect has been accompanied by
Is parasites yet these, often present in |
normous numbers, were not able to
orce it back within bounds or over
ONE the stimulus given to the race by
he discovery of a new and abundant
pod crop in the potato fields planted
Y the western farmers. Wherever the
otato bug exists IN American today J
on viii find its enemies and para !
ties, but no potato grower trusts the {
of his crop to them alone. /
The same has been true of the Cod
Hessian fly, chinch bug,
,cust, cotton cushion scale. San
ose scale and scores Of other insects /,
nat have occurred in epidemic album la
ance. At first they threaten to sweep
way the cultivated crops on which
hey feed. but after the first flood of
lvasion. the cultivation of these same
-oos continues just as before. Every
lch epidemic results in some improve
tent in the methods of active control.
do not for one moment advance the
rgument that the work done by Prof.
.oebele is rot advisable, because the
,ntrary is true Without parasites {
nd natural enemies to prey upon the
lseet pests of our cultivated crops
,ere could be no agriculture. But to
dyise our farmers and planters to