The Hawaiian gazette., 1911-06-30
ERuIT Fly BREEDS
ABOARD STEAMERS
THAT ID WHY OAHU IL NOW
nv A FIoHT TO DRIVE
PEST AWAY.

That the Mediterranean fruit fly
came to Honolulu from tho Australian
boats "a the theory Of meteorological
Ehrhorn, and this opinion he expressed
At the meeting Of board Of agriculture
and forestry yesterday afternoon at
which there were several prominent
business men and horticult1rists pres
ent.
He stated that the Az was well estab.
lished in Australia, and that the mag
COTS from which IL came had been OBJ
ed on the decks Of Australian steamers
calling at this port. The eggs could
be laid in the cracks Of the deck and
then IL the flies were born about the
time the vessel arrived at this port,
there was nothing to hinder than flying
ashore.
There were o number of persons pres
ent at the meeting of the board which
was called at three o'clock yesterday
afternoon, and Mr.. Ehrhorn explained,
in response TO questions, all that was
known of the Mediterranean fly, against
which California has quarantined ship
ments of fruit from Honolulu.
Mr.. Hasltins, who owns a fruit or
chard near Kalihi Pumping station,
brought several Chinese oranges, figs
and cherries TO the meeting in all of
which we're to be seen the maggots of
the Mediterranean fly.
Mr.. Ehrhorn stated that from sew
eral parts of Oahu he had received
word of the work of the fly, and that
now experiments were being made in
breeding it from the fruit in which
the maggots had been found.
Asked if there was a parasite to
combat the fly Mr.. Ehrhorn stated that
in Italy experiments had been made in
laboratories with parasite which had
done the business, but that so far, out
Of-doors work had not progressed to a
sufficient extent to warrant the asser-
ton that a parasite worth anything
had been discovered.
Some Hope Remains.
According to letter received from
the board of agriculture of California
quarantine has been established against
every kind of island fruit except ba-
nanas and pineapples, but later after
it is definitely determined just what
fruits were affected by the pest, others
classes might be admitted which were
found to be free.
So far the flies have been found only
on Oahu, and by the prohibition of
shipment of any fruit from Honolulu
to other islands it is hoped to keep the
pest on this island.
Marston Campbell, who was present
at the board meeting for the first time
in SIX weeks, said that he believed the
pest could be confined to this island
and finally exterminated if it did not
get into the guavas, but that if it did
get into that fruit the ease would be
almost helpless.
The chronological committee of the
board presented report and made
recommendations, which report was
adopted
Committee Experts.
The report provides for the appoint
ment of an honorary advisory commit
tee consisting of Entomologist Ehrhorn,
DR.. Wilcox of the federal experiment
station, Otto II. Swezey, entomOlogist
II. S. p. A., Mr.. Kershaw of the same
service, James d. Dole, w. M. Giffard
snd Albert Waterhouse, chairman OF
the chronological committee.
The report makes the recommends
ton that the committee appointed
take up the matter of control and the
gathering of data as to the area and
fruits affected by the pests, and that
after this study had been made and
reported upon the board of agriculture
and forestry take up the financial END
of the proposition.
Also that the advisory board bC
continued indefinitely, if there b'
money available to pay its expenses
and that if the fight can not be financed
by the board, then some business mel
be enlisted in the work to secure funds