The Hawaiian gazette., 1909-05-21


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 vastatrix) prevalent in that Sec
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 al possible contamination by i'm.
mersing in the standard solution Of
i foDmalin, 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 will 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 froin tho
| 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.
"One ship came in ballast consisting
of soil and rock, which was dumped into
the sea.
"There were 90 lots and l479 par
cells.
"Seventy.fve sacks of potatoes un-
derwent the cleaning process before
being admitted.
"Several hundred plants of various
descriptions were fumigated, adhering
soil and wrappings were consigned to
the deep.
"Two cases of small grasses being
badly infested with slugs, went the
same way.
"One parcel of gladiola bulbs was
infested with aphis, presumably the
species mentioned in Journal of Eco
monte Entomology of 1908, page 23O.
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 Mon
terey cypress hedge was examined and
found badly infested with the Austria
liam beetle roach (F'leutheroda 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 or where they
are not too crowded ina 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
10 the great need in Honolulu of re-
liable, trained expert horticulturist cap
able of carrying into effect various in
structions given by the entomologist.
Moreover, in nine cases out of ten the
difficulty is of horticultural character.
Improper irrigation, wretched or no
i trimming, amateurish landscaping are
examples. Finally, the preparation and
: application of an insecticide 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
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
l order to prevent the possibility of du-
t plicity such persons should be required
5 to show references from local horticul-
/ turists and entomologists.
A lot of cocoanut 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-
ceived by courtesy of the Fancher
Creek Nurseries of Fresno, California,
: during the month and with the kind CO.
{: operation of Hon. S. M. Damon, located
in Moanalua. The first lot came on
1 ice and consisted of apparently INSULT
+ GENTLY advanced stages There being
a no evidence of results another lot was
cabled for and the mails brought it on
the 23rd This came in excellent con-
J. dition. For the first time we received
5 the insects alive issuing from the. figs
1t is yet too soon to say whether they
0 infested our growing figs, but all oppor-
5 tunity was given the insects to do So
8 Miscellaneous.
z After consultation and with the con
l sent and approval of the president, Mr.
Robert Miller, recommended by Mr.
3 Rath, was engaged temporarily to assist