The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-07-15

present emergency in marketing pine
apples it seems imperative that all con
cerned should get together at once and
consider seriously the problem of pro
dueing fruit which is free from pests
and which meets all the requirements
of the modern market.
Realizing the Importance of extend
| ing the markets for the excellent pine
apples of Hawaii, the Hawaii Expert
ment Station is making a study of the
whole question of producing and mar
keting the highest grade of fruit.
There are number of problems con.
nected with the shipping of fresh pine.
apples which are yet unsolved. There.
fore, we intend to continue the inves-
LEGATIONS during the present season. MIR.
Higgins, horticulturist of the station,
will sail about the 18th of August with
some experimental shipments, ascertain
ing the results of these, will return to
Hawaii and make several further ship
ments, during the present season.
This station has been working on the
insects affecting the pineapple and their
control for several years and has OBJ
tanned some definite results. As regards
the inspection of Hawaiian pineapples
in San Francisco, the local growers will
have to face the law on the subject.
The California horticultural quarantine
law, like our own, is infexible and
nothing can be gained by attempting
to analyze the law, the feeling back of
it, or the motives of the inspector who
inforces it. Mr.. Ehrhorn, the quaran-
tine officer of the port of San Fran.
cisco, is a professional man of good
standing throughout the chronological
world and an authority in his line. He
would not and could not afford to sacrl-
fee his professional standing by lend.
ing himself to any commercial scheme
to unjustly shut out Hawaiian pine
apples. If Mr. Ehrhorn says that Ha.
waiian pines are infested with living
scale-insects, we have no reason or right
TO believe this to be untrue. The fruit
must be clean before en- rance will be
allowed. AS to the disposal of the fruit
or their refumigation if not clean, he
must carry out orders handed down to
him.
This problem along with many others
has been met and solved by all fruit
sections of the country. We
are confident that it will be fully
worked out in the case of Hawaiian
If California will not al
low refumigation of infested fruit at
San Francisco, it will work injury to
some shippers this season but will not
affect the shipment of
fresh pines for it is possible to ship
recent ruling on the part of the Cali
fornia authorities. Mr.. Van Dine per-
superintended the fumigation of
one shipment of some fifteen tons that
went up on the last Hilonian and the
entire lot passed the inspection without
any difficulty on the part of the ship,
per. A shipment ON the same boat from
an uninformed Chinaman was held up.
Lack of information on what to do or
the use of low grade chemicals are not !
legitimate excuses to present to the /
California people. They do not care
what is done or what is not done so
ong as the fruit arrives free from liv-
ng insects. The problem is a new one
md it has not been possible to give def +
mite advice. This season s work will, /
enable US to speak with quite
iefnite assurance on the subject. In
he shipment above referred to, Mr..
Van Dine had to use a low grade cyan
de because the local supply of pure
tock had been exhausted, but, knowing
he per cent of purity, it simply meant
hat to get certain amount of gas in
/ given space, larger amount had to
De used. The danger from low grade
cyanide lies in using it under the i'm
preston that it is of standard purity.
Even if it were not possible to clean
he fruit by fumigation, and we have
llready shown that it is possible, we
an carry the problem of insect control
light back to the field and control it
here. In fact, that is the logical thing
% do and while we are doing every
hing in our power at the station to
meet this present emergency and sup
dying the growers and shippers with
as fast as available, our
main work has been and is the control
# the insects in the field The problem
IS eventually solved will result in the
PRODUCTION of clean fruit and its con,
equent fumigation will come down TO
precautionary measure only.
Another important problem will be
he control of pineapple rot and the
citation of insect control to the same.
t is believed that the presence of in
ects on the pineapples is responsible
n large degree for the spread of the
disease. Insect control, therefore, be-
ONES problem of primary Importance
o the shippers of pineapples, entirely
egardless of the attitude of California
oward the introduction of noxious in.
ects into their orchards. While in San
francisco, Mr.. Higgins viii confer with
he authorities of the California State
Board of Horticulture regarding the diff
ieulties which have arisen in the case
# some shipments of late.
The Hawaiian pineapple people should
ret together on shipping a uniformly
lean product, and further, must be rep
esented in the mainland markets by
nau who can act DromntIv ar close