The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1909-07-08
Agriculture
And Forestry

Parasites to destroy the melon fly
are valuable finds reported to the Board
OF Agriculture by Entomologist Jacob
kotinsky. aThe Board took action to
enforce the law for burning infected
plants wherever discovered growing.
commissioner Isenberg reported that
I the koa trees on Tantalus are dying
from attack of insects He also men
| toned a suspicion that the agaroba
blossoms were being killed by insects,
which if true was a disastrous thing
when the ground algaroba bean indus
try was just starting. The entomo-
logist will look into both matters.
Mr.. Isenberg also induced the Board
to order a stop put to the cutting of
honohono grass on Tantalus, as that
grass resists fire and is a good con-
server of moisture
Professor Kotinsky reported the
presence of the Blastophaga. a wasp
that is useful in the fertilization of
| figs
Forester HOsmer and Prof. Blackman
rigation Congress at Spokane in AT
gust, where an effort will be made to
secure recommendation to have the
Reclamation Service extended to Ha-
wall. The Board granted the forester
leave of absenc.
Marston Campbell the executive Off
Ger, reported the employment of C. S.
Judd, who has trained under the Fed
eral' Department of Agriculture after
a college course in forestry, as assist
ant to Forester Hosmer at a salary of
$14OO.
Forester Hosmer, in a report on his
| division, told of the creation of new
forest reserves already reported in
| the press, also of an important visit
of inspection to Maui he had made. He
made thorough examination of the
open grass land above the forest on
Haleakala, with relation to a question
OF opening the area as a paddock of
the Haleakala ranch. Owing to the
steep slope and the rapid erosion that
would be likely to take place were the
area overstocked, the forester says
the question of holding this section as
forest reserve to be eventually got
under a forest cover is one that should
be seriously considered.
Field Foreman Haughs reported
that, for the six months ended June 30,
trees had been distributed from the
government nursery as follows:
Free Distribution, Forest Trees
Potted, 2000; in transplant boxes,
1860; in seed boxes, 5000. Ornamental
-Potted, $50; total, 1910.
Forest Trees, Sold-Potted, 1922: in
transplant boxes, $3.50; in seed boxes,
$4,000. Ornamental-Potted 2SO; to-
tai, 49,252; grand total 56,462
Arrangements are being made
whereby large number of forest trees
will be available for free distribution
for Arbor Day planting in November.
During the month labels giving the
botanical and common name and the
original locality have been attached
to all the trees in the Government
| Nursery, making the garden of greater
interest to visitors and other persons
desiring to know about the local flora.
Satisfactory progress has been made
in getting the experimental garden at
Makiki into shape for planting.
For one day in each week all the
available men employed by the Divi-
sion of Forestry have been put to work
beating down and cutting the dead
lantana along the main road and the
trails through the Tantalus forest. In
this way the fire danger has beer
materially reduced.
During June ]. F. Rock has been on
Hawaii, at Huehue, Puuwaawaa and
the Parker Ranch, collecting speci.
mems Of native trees and shrubs, seeds
of indigenous plants and weeds on the
open ranges on the cattle ranches.