The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-08-15
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Insect Problem In Oahu
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Editor Advertiser: There is sad
state of things existing from an agrieul-
tural standpoint, due mainly to the
presence of destructive insects that
people generally do not appear to reeog-
nize, or at least do not make any ade-
quate effort to COMBAT.
If we consider the useful things that
could be grown here (were grown be-
fore the advent of the japanese beetle
and melon fly, it viii serve to measure
the necessity of controlling them now.
One item, melons, would supply a very
desirable article of food, especially for
this climate, but owing to the fact that
we have climate that would enable us
to ship to the mainland when the mar
ket was bare and prices good there
would be remuneratiye work for intel
igent men.
This is not imagination-it is bust
nessi There is money and pleasure IN
it, but it is a stern necessity to control
the insects. At the present time we
desire to invite the white settler, the
home builder; we want refined, intel
ligent individual who will be a success.
We cannot afford to attempt to mental
science facts; no juggling with humbug
can hide the bug In the garden.
/ do not believe in painting the trag
edy of life with charcoal, but in all the
bright radiance that opportunity af-
fords
There is no evil that cannot be over
come or any vermin that cannot be ex-
terminated. If ordinary methods fail,
we must use the heroic and resort to
new ways. If there is no trail, we can
make one. Had some one proposed to
exterminate the mosquitoes in the Canal
zone decade or two ago, most rational
people would have said or thought
insane. 1t needed the man who could
think and do. This little mosquito slew
an army of industrial soldiers; with
song and poisoned lance it stopped
French invasion and converted their
ditch into grave.
Phyloxera, San Jose scale, apple
worm, potato beetle and others, have
all appeared as difficult as those con-
fronting us now and for each one we
have had to fight with special weapons.
The men who waged this warfare had
0POCAdA ALAOoo3 possessing OoA hSoeiOoS1
mental as well as physical, microscopic
and telescope sight, with mountain
peak views of the conflicts of the Fates
and Furies. They gave special order
to politicians and lawmakers that they
dared not disobey, the wonder working
chemist, skilled entomologist, the tricks
of the inventor were called into service;
ancient individual rights with much
other rubbish of neglected and unwhole-
some trees were consumed with fire or
cleansed with sulphurous mist.
The golden stream of oranges and
other California fruits that brighten and
bless the world; the apples from Hood
River and Wenatchie; the berries from
and all places where fruit is
grown, are monuments to the men who
have controlled the insects. These fruit
products of the soil are the best bless
ings the world has produced, pictures to
The eye, music to the taste, nourishing to
the normal, restoring health to the sick
and have made possible the splendid
that is dawning on the
American farmer, converting his home
from one of drudgery and poverty to
one of pleasure. refinement and pros
perity. The islands are at present a
1iscord in the economic scheme. They
need our sugar to sweeten their prod |
ucts, our pineapples, bananas and null |
tiform fruits, flowers and vegetables to
grace their tables and give a glowing |
touch of pleasure to their long winter. |
We have not enough produce to feed