Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1911-12-29
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brought forward, to defeat the
schemes of those peculiar mortals.
rmong the travelling public who take
special delight In beating quar-
antine order, purely for the fun of
1t. No experimental measures will
answer in the present crisis; one sin
gle blunder, and the pest may gain
an entrance.
I'VE need only point to the expert
cnce of every country into which the
fruit fly has forced an entrance, as
IN example OF the result. There is
not one single instance where II has
ever been eradicated. Enormous
sums of money, combined with heroic
measures, have not affected nor
scarcely interfered with its progress
Of destruction.
with practically continual cycle
If host fruit for the fly and a climate
tnat admits Of continual uninterrupt-
ed breeding, with new generation
every twenty-eight days, and many
If the host fruit trees attaining the
size of forest trees, together with
miles and miles of wild host fruits,
presents a problem Of almost stag
geriGg proportions when we consider
ways and means of control: yet It Is
q problem that must be met. and am
Of the opinion that with proper ar
iangement the pest can be reduced In
the cultivated areas to almost mini
,Lum by artificial means, and the pest
driven TO and held by natural con-
troll In the wild areas, where It will
e removed from the city districts
proper, and the greatest amount OF
Danger to. California he eliminated,
Speaking of the best means for pro-
| lection he says.
THE greatest protection to Califor-
| mia against the introduction OF this
nest at this point naturally divides
| itself into two problcms
"Ftrst-An absolute quarantine
combined with added legislation le-
galizing the searching of baggage now
In operation through contrac; with
the various ocean transportation com
| panies.
"Second-Would we not receive
nore protection by reducing or con.
trolling the pest by artificial means
and clean culture In the center of in
lection In the islands, and thus re-
ruce the chances of the pest being
carried into California?
AN absolute quarantine would pro.
badly destroy the incentive of the ter
ritorial authorities. who are now
manfhlly battling the pest; work,
probably, would be dropped and the
pest allowed to spread unmolested
'hus increasing the danger of it's in-
lection through many aew avenues.
IA the present time. all frniis and
vegetables from the islands are barr
ed. and nothing admitted except
pineapples and bananas, and these
under restrictions regarding packing
and wrapping material. Commercial
shipments fall directly into the hands
of our quarantine officers at San
| francisco. but the fruit among the
personal effects of the travelling pub.
lie Is where the real danger exists.
There Is no misiaking the serious
ness of this problem that now con-
fronts the fruit interests of Cal.for-
MIA, especially so when on almost ey-
cry vessels arriving from there, even
In the face Of the strict quarantine,
the publicity given same, and the CO.
operation and assistance of the steam
ship companies fruit carrying live
maggots still continues to arrive at
the port of San Francisco. which
must bring realization of the i'm
Mediate danger ever present to the
most skeptical person.
Our only protection against this
menace TO the fruit industry of Cali
iornia, under present existing condI-
tons, depends entirely on the ELI.
| cheney of our quarantine officers, for
4 therein lies our creates, hope of I'M
| munity against invasion.
| THE keeping out of the Mediterra-
mean fruit fly is the greatest work the
state Commission OF horticulture has
At the present time, and no expense
| should be spared In affording every
protection possible: and even with
everything we can do, II Is going to
ne a mighty hard task TO keep Il out,
end ] am firmly convinced that when
II comes TO the matter VI real pro-
lection we must get at the source Of
The trouble, and that Is In the islands