The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1909-07-09
,tAIrS FAMOUS MELONS
MAY ONCE MORE FLOURISH

War, war TO the death, has been de-
elared on the melon fly, the pernicious
little insect that makes the growing of
the juicy melon, the luscious cantaloupe,
the crisp cucumber next to impossible
on a profitable scale in Hawaii. The
Board of Agriculture and Forestry is
going after the scalp of the pest, and
if its hopes and expectations are ear.
ried out, this Territory will soon be an
unhealthful place for the melon fly.
The announcement which will bring
Joy to the heart of the melon lover and
hope to the soul of the truckfarmer
was made at the meeting of the Board
of Agriculture and Forestry yesterday
afternoon by Entomologist Jacob Ko-
tinsky, who stated that two parasites
have been received here recently which
it is hoped will prove to be an implac-
able enemy of the pest that now rem
ders it necessary to stand over melon
vine with fan to keep the insects off
if the plant is to bear. If the parasites
do the work that is hoped of them, it
will no longer be necessary to cover GU
eumber vines over with mosquito net
ting to keep the long, green vegetable
from being destroyed.
The parasites were received here from
Australia a few weeks ago on the 40
rangi, being collected by George Com
perel, searcher for beneficial insects for
West Australia and California, and for
Cd htrt ha ,aut nf Apr II.
ture of West Australia. They are para
pests that Australia has to contend
with, and the eggs were sent in the
bodies of the fruit flies. Precautions
were accordingly taken to prevent the
fruit flies from escaping after they
reached Honolulu, rs should they estab-
lish themselves here they might prove
to be worse pest than even the melon
fy.
Entomologist Kotinsky explained that
it is as yet too soon to predict results,
hut one of the parasites is apparently
doing well, and if it attacks the mag
gots of the melon fly, as it is hoped it
will, and proves to be a primary in
stead of secondary parasite, relief
from the effects of the melon fly is to
be anticipated.
The parasites, Mr.. Kotinsky explain
ed, come from India, which is hopeful,
as there they must have fed on and
bred in insects similar in nature to the
melon fly. The life cycle of the most
promising parasite, Mr.. Kotinsky said,
is about two weeks, so in that length
of time he ought to know what is to be
expected from it.
Gin this connection said the ento-
moogist, 81 wish to impress upon the
community the Importance of destroy
ing by burning all material that is
known to be infested with the melon
fly. Such material merely forms hot
bed for the further propagation of the
insect.
"The other day / found in an aban-
doned garden on King street thousands
of cucumbers and millions of maggots-
enough to supply the city and the vi
cinity for months to come. The garden
originally belonged to Chinese, who
was compelled to abandon it because
the owner raised his rent If people
would take the precaution to destroy
all infested material, they would be
saved much annoyance and loss.'
In reply to question by Superin-
tendent Marston Campbell, Mr.. Kotin-
sky stated that the Board has authority
to take charge of infested premises and
destroy all material which contains the
fruit fly. Upon the basis of this state
ment, II. M. Won Holt moved that the
Board take immediate action to enforce
Chapter % of the Revised Laws, the