The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-05-19

green color and upon close inspection
were found inhabited by a species of
SNOW" scale (Hemichienaspis minor).
These, of which there were about eigh-
ty, were segregated at our request and
fumigated
Three boxes of sweet corn were found
badly infested with our corn leaf-hop-
per. We were Informed that it was
returned from San Francisco because
of these insects. We fumigated them
before releasing.
One lot of seed coffee came from the
Dutch East Indies. There is a most
destructive coffee leaf disease (Hemi-
laea vastatrix1 prevalent in that see
ton of the world. Not many years
ago it has laid waste the coffee fields
of Ceylon and other islands in the
East Indies. BY way Of precaution
therefore we secured the consent and
cooperation of the importer to annihi-
/, late all possible contamination by i'm.
mersing in the standard solution of
formalin, consisting Of one pint forty
per cent. Commercially formalin in if
teen gallons of water for an hour. 1t
may be well to state in this connection
that we viii always be glad either to
treat or prescribe treatment of seeds
when necessary, at the owners request.
Aphis or plant lice on roses and car
nations was another common cause for
fumigation.
Nurserymen on the mainland were
observed to remove the soil from the
roots of some shipments of plants and
not others, from which we infer that
/ they do SO at the request of importers,
not all of whom seem as yet informed
OF our strict ruling against soil. The
great variety of possible pests inhab-
| iting soil leaves us no discretion In the
matter.
Hilo Inspection.
Upon his work in Hilo during the
month of April, Bro. Matthias writes
as follows:
Eleven foreign vessels came to
anchor in Hilo bay Had inspection
work on board two of them, eight on
| the wharves and nine at the postoffice.
Zone ship came in ballast consisting
| of soil and rock, which was dumped into
the sea.
"There were 80 lots and 147s par
cells.
"seventy five sacks of potatoes I'M.
| derwent the cleaning process before
being admitted.
ssSeveral hundred plants of various
descriptions were fumigated, adhering
soil and wrappings Were consigned to
the deep.
"Two eases of small grasses being
badly infested with slugs, went the
same way.
Zone parcel of gladiola bulbs was
infested with aphis, presumably the
species mentioned in Journal of Eco
monte Entomology Of 1908, page $50.
| The bulbs being of fancy varieties were
carefully cleaned and treated with
cyanide before being passed. This is
the second time / came across this in
sect on gladiola bulbs.
Local Inspection.
At the request of the owner a Mon
terey cypress hedge was examined and
found badly infested with the Austria
liam beetle roach (Fleutheroda dytis-
coides) This is very common pest
and especially SO on Monterey cypress.
Chickens are very fond of the roach
| and, if trained to follow the attendant,
they will pick up all the reaches shaken
off the trees, and the pest thus kept in
check. Single plants OF where they
are not too crowded in a hedge, may
be sprayed with an arsenical, like Paris
| green dead arsenate, being white,
would not do, provided the sprayed
plants are beyond reach Of livestock
or poultry.
An idea that has repeatedly come up
during such visits and which has finally
crystalized in the entomologist s mind
| is the great need in Honolulu of re-
liable, trained expert horticulturist cap
| able of carrying into effect various in
| structions given by the entomologlst.
Moreover, in nine cases out of ten the
difficulty is of horticultural character
Improper irrigation, wretched or no
trimming, amateurish landseaping are
examples. Finally, the preparation and
application of an insectieide or fungi
eide requires intelligence the garden
owner can almost never spare and his
/ yard boy does not possess. An expert
as here suggested must be well paid,
| but employed only for the actual time
his services are required would not be
/! a burden TO his employer and his work
| would render gardening of any kind a
| joyful task Such an individual, ON the
| other hand, should find little difficulty
IN finding continuous employment. In
order to prevent the possibility of du-
plicity such persons should be required
to show references from local horticul-
turists and entomologists.
A lot of coeoanut punches for the
Alaska Yukon Exposition were inspect
ed and having been found infested with
live scale bugs were fumigated.
| Importation of Fig Insect.
| This spring we resumed our effort to
introduce this insect into the Territory
in order to make Smyrna fig culture
possible. Two consignments were re
| eeived by courtesy of the Fancher
Creek Nurseries of Fresno. California