The Hawaiian gazette., 1911-02-28
OYSTERS 0. K. BUT
NO BACEBIRDS
ENroAoLoorsr THINKS TINE INST
POLICY r. TO KEEP OUT ANY.
THING THAT FrooKs.


The Maui Rod and Gun Club il to
be permitted to import all the oysters
Il wishes, but blackbirds are to DO dis.
couraged The reason for the disorimi.
nation Is that blackbirds hook together
and oysters are not gregariOus.
That Hawaii should not run any
chances with birds that might become
a pest is the opinion Of Eutomologist
Ehrhorn, presented yesterday at the
meeting Of the board Of agriculture and
forestry. AIR. Ehrhorn's report, in
part dealt with the request for informa-
tion made by II. s. Wise OF the Keeau-
kuha Club, which desires to import some
birds and also to establish some new
oyster beds.
In his letter to the board, Mr.. Ehr-
horn stated that he thought that it
would be best to abide by the decision
of DR.. II. w. Henshaw regarding the
Brewer blackbird. That gentleman had
written that if these birds were intro
duced to the Islands they might posi-
bly, reverse their present habits and
become a menace. They were gregari-
GUS and any sort Of birds that iocked
in large numbers was likely to prove
harmful.
If the board should decide, however,
that these birds should be admitted
then he would advise the erection of
proper places to try them out In before
they were liberated. The matter of
watching them should be in the hands
OF fully qualified ornitholOgist.
Looking After Birds.
Speaking about the matter, Ehrhorn
said that while he was in Germany
he noticed the way in which the birds
were looked after. there in the parks
and encouraged to come about. Small
houses were made for them and in the
sides of these small entrances were cut
so that the young birds could get in,
while the bigger and stronger birds
that bullied them were shut out.
Regarding the matter of seed oysters
coming from Japan, which Mr.. Wise
also mentioned in his letter, there was
no need to worry over these and he
could congratulate the club on its
Efforts.
Beneficial Insects.
In his regular report for the month,
Ehrhorn states that small consignment
of parasitized pupae of the cabbage but
terhy has been received from j. p.
Baumberger Of San Francisco, and from
these already a number of colonies of
parasites have been liberated. Mr..
Baumberger has offered to continue his
services of collecting material in Cali
fornia, and as soon as the cold weather
is over the board expects TO receive
some large shipments from him.
Shipping Inspection.
During January, thirty-eight vessels
were boarded and fruits, vegetables and
plants were found on nineteen of them.
The usual inspection was made Of all
shipments and sixty-seven lots out of
1850 were destroyed,
Rice Shipments.
During the month the rice shipments
romf Japan decreased very materially,
only some 5762 bags being passed after
each lot had been examined for rice
pests.
Ralph S. Hosmer submitted his re-
port on the forestry department for
the months of January and February.
During the past two months, his re.
port says, additional shipments Of seed
ling trees in seed boxes have been
made to several of the large corpora
tions that are actively engaged in tree
planting. This method Of tree dis.
tribution seems' to be acceptable to
many persons, as it obviates the losses
that frequently occur, especially from
the damping off fungus.
During the past month the forester Is
Office has been distributing the quota
of free congressional vegetable seed,
sent annually by the Delegate to Con
gress. AS usual, packages of the seed
have been sent to the public schools
throughout the Territory, for the pupils
to use in the school gardens. And a
special effort has been made to get seed
into the hands of small landholders
throughout the Territory, packets hav-
ing been sent to a carefully selected
list of persons on each island. Some
seed still remains available for dis
-tribution. Applications for it should be
addressed: Seed Clerk, Board of Agri-
culture and Forestry, box 207, Homo.
lulu, Hawaii.