The Hawaiian gazette., 1908-06-26
PESTS ARRIVE
IN QUANTITIES

Aht iNHpiA VI fNcSlsNbhil
Kotinsky, made at the meeting of the
Board of Agriculture and Forestry
held yesterday afternoon. was in part
as follows:
on the eth the ). s. Manuka
brought a consignment OF orchids from
Fill. In the box were found several
live beetles. 1t was Immediately
placed in the fumigation chamber ard
given the usual dose of cyanide No
live insects were found on the plants
after fumigation, but in the soil mill
ilpede and several earth-worms were
found alive. The soil was therefore
carefully removed and dumped over
board.
The $. S. Virginian arrived from San
Francisco late in the afternoon of May
"a and brought among other things
twelve cases of plants, an unusually
large number for one steamer. Upon
examination the following morning
they Were found invaded by a horde
of cockroaches (Phillodromia ger
manica), In addition, number of the
cases contained mango and avocado
trees from Florida, the former even
bearing specimens of species of Pull
was Imperative.
The Alameda OF May 20 brought
three large cases containing 5000 roots
of asparagus for planting purposes. 10
prevent the introduction OF that terri
BILE pest of the asparagus grower on
the mainland, asparagus rust (Pucci-
mia aspagari ID. C), the plants were
dipped in standard solution of Bor-
deaux before being passed.
Some of the green peas reaching this
market were found to be heavily in
tested with a rusty spot, probably
''pea-spot" (Ascochyta plse LiberO.
Peas so infested We're destroyed.
Mr.. George Compere, entomologist of
the West Australian Department of
Agriculture, was n through passenger
from the Orient on the 18th. and much
of the day was spent with him. He
left here another colony of the ORR
entail red-scale parasite (Comperiella
bifasciata Howl. males and females of
which We're bred out the same day
and released on a citrus tree in the
Government Nursery grounds infested
with this scale. Material was also
collected OF several of our common
parasites OF white-hy and scale bugs,
which Mr. Compere took along for re-
leasing in California.
Aside from the big collection of vari-
Gus fruits sent to California with Mr..
Compere, there were distributed In the
Territory eighteen colonies of useful
Insects during the month, TO supply
some of which 1t took considerable
time to collect.
The fumigation formula for pineap-
pies in universal application prescribes
the use OF 9S per cent guaranteed po-
tassium cyanide. The grade in the
ocal market was found to be Inferior
and Ineffective against the pineapple
mealy bug in several instances when
Used at the usual rate. Tests were
therefore undertaken to ascertain ~
the inferiority of the cyanide
was responsible for the inefficiency:
~ whether the 80 per cent. c. p, a
few pounds of which were secured, In
he usual dose would kill the bugs;
Ind (3) whether an overdose would in
ure the pine. The Wahiawa Pineap-
Die Co. kindly supplied the fruit for
he experiments. One fruit was treat
ID with a regular dose OF the COM
nercial cyanide. Two other infested |
,ineapples were treated with regu-
ar and double dose, respectively, of |
he C. p. grade of cyanide. One fruit. |
lsed as a check, was left untreated. |
n the first instance the mealy bugs |
we're found decidedly alive at the end |
# the operation. The pines fumigated
With the C. p. grade, in both the usual |
md double dose, had all the bugs dead
Ifter fumigation and the fruit unin- |
ured. Moreover, these two fruits, to-
,ether with the unfumigated specimen,
In a closed box for about
wo weeks afterwards with interesting |
esults. The two fumigated pines were
n an excellent state of preservation,
arely showing signs of ripening,
whereas the unfumigated fruit was
ipe and almost rotting where most
cavity covered with bugs. The EVIL
ence, though by no means conclusive
s yet, seems to suggest the probable
~ that fumigated pineapples will
tand a longer journey than those not
o treated. The experiment needs rep
tition before definite conclusions are
rawn, and seems well worth II.
In anticipation of three steamers, in
luding the Alameda on the Sth, II be-
anne evident that, unaided. Mr.. Smith
nd / could not attend to the work.
With the subsequent consent of your
resident enlisted the services of Mr..
}. B. Kuhns, a graduate student of
he Normal School. for two days. At
ne lectures gave to this class in the
formal School. Mr.. Kuhns has each
me impressed me more favorably
IAN the previous as embodying the
ements for making fine naturalist.
lie has been a member of the Hawai-
n chronological Society ever since
$ existence became known to him.
nd eagerly seeks an opportunity to
ork along natural history lines.
him favorably to your at
ntion, should the board be in need ,