The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-09-24

4
against contagious human disease. Many
know also that the entrance of disease
y of domestic animals is often guarded
against in the same way, but few re
alize the extent of the plant quaran-
; tine, or government inspection, to pre-
vent the Importation of diseased trees
shrubs, plant-cuttings, fruit, etc,
which is carried on in many countries
An article on this subject, contributed
to Cosmos paris, July 49,, deals chief
ly with the agricultural quarantines
of the British South-African colonies
and of Hawaii, and we translate below
chiefly the portions relating to our own
territory. Says the writer:
"Al civilized states make some at
tempt to protect their frontiers against
the introduction of contagious diseases
| and diseases of animals. For the
former, quarantine and disinfection are
used. For the latter, the introduction
of animals coming from the affected
countries is forbidden. This protec-
ton is extended in certain countries,
and with great profit, to the vegetable
kingdom, because of parasites that may
be introduced with plants or plant
products. The new legislation in the
British South-African colonies and that
of the Hawaiian Islands may be quot
ed as models.
The precautions enjoired in this
legislation have been taken from three
different points of view-surveillance
of importations of plants from abroad,
OF importations from some other colo
ny of the same group, and of trans
portation of plants within the colony
itself. =.
In Hawaii the landing of all mer-
chandise that might contain injurious
parasites is permitted only after an
in close detail, by an agent |
of the Agricultural and Horticultural
Quarantine. On discovery Of the
smallest insect or fungus the consign-
ment is fumigated or, if necessary, de-
stroyed; the cattle and crops of the
islands are thus protected, as far as
possible, against the introduction of
new diseases.
In January last case containing
cuttings of sugar cane for planting ar
rived from Australia, and the quaran-
tine service aseertained that the camel
had been attacked by the larvae of
Lepldoptera, measuring Is to 20 MILL
meters three to four-ffths of an inch1
N length. These had pierced the sec
lions between the joints and made
hem unfit for reproduction. A largel
1umber of pseudococci were found un-
Ter the leaves. As it was new vari-
'ty of cane, the entomologist tried to
I'LL the parasites without destroying
he cuttings, and for this purpose used
'isulfd of carbon in large quantities. ,
t was found that sugar cane could not 1
pear this treatment as well as the /
rape vine; for although the larvae
we're killed, most of the cuttings were :
lso destroyed. When another lot of g
uttings arrived from FIJI, it was
hought best to prevent the insects
seaping from the package when it was /,
pened, and it was therefore treated I
nth prussic acid. This precaution was t
no means useless, for after the oper- 9
ton larva was found to have made
tunnel almost at right angles to the t
lrIaee. C
Agents of the Agri-horticultural Q
Service inspect with the :,
reatest care even cargoes that would :
ppear to be inoffensive. Thus, when Ii
'veral vessels arrived from San Fran
SEQ under ballast, for cargoes of su- -
ar, the captain, who had been author +.
ed to discharge his ballast, was made "
declare the sources whence he had Q
otalned it. It was of sand and gravel. ?
nd was examined with care while it
as being unloaded; but nothing in I
lrlous was found in it, "
Injurious animals are also excluded
ON Hawaii. The writer tells us of =,
lie CONSERVATION with which a box of ID
'rty poisonous snakes was regarded g
hen found recently on board an in =
ming ship. These were intended mere IL
for exhibition in show. but as to
ere are no snakes in Hawaii it was
ought safest to destroy the reptiles,
mpensating the owner for their loss. a,
lys the writer: th
. This gave rise to a very curious al
monstration. The box was introduced Ia
to the fumigation chamber and a g
uble charge of prussic acid was used; ar
t after fourteen minutes the snakes da
re found to be still alive, although oil
y warm-blooded animal would have ~ ~
en- killed in a few seconds. They
re replaced in the fumigator and
II.