Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-12-02
PLANTERS MAKE DATEOF ANNUAL
MEETIDGINNOYEMBER ORDECEMBER

that the beetle was much less APP
parent than formerly. Cane coming
into the mill showed up much better.
Manager Goodale OF Waialua con.
firmed the statements of Entomologist
Swezey about that plantation. He
believed the proportion Of borers had
been greatly reduced He had taken
off one field this year which was clear
Of borers upon which the cane three
years ago was fairly riddled.
Mr.. Swanzy understood that Hama
(Kaeleku1 plantation had suffered
great loss from the pest
Experiments Explained -
Mr.. Peck took up the subiet of La
haina cane deterioration mentioned in
the report Seed brought from Hilo
estates that had encountered the trou.
BILE was experimental with, and fresh
Lahaina seed had been sent from the
station to Hilo. Results indicated that
ii was not a disease but some opera
ton of soil which produced the de-
terioration. 1t might be chemical,
meteorological or mechanical condi-
tons in the soil Cane treated and
untreated In experiment yielded like
results. He called on Dr. Lyon to ex-
hibit stick of cane which had been
stunted in early growth. the short and
slender joints at the butt indicating
near death. which had suddenly re-
covered and reached normal growth
of about eight feet in length. Pro
ceeding, the speaker said that cane
planted In virgin soil at Waipio sub
station was best, but cane planted in
sterilized soil did nearly as we'll In
his opinion the recovery of the sickly
cane was due to solution Of the min
eral and chemical constituents Of the
soil rather than to sterilization.
Dr.. Lyon told of Ave experiments
whereby sickly cane was restored He
concluded that 1t was not a fungus
disease but some condition of soil.
Planting of cane cuttings as seed was
simply prolonging of generation
perhaps Lahaina cane was therefore
500 or 600 years old Changing from
one set of conditions to another would
probably restore a species to its an-
.cestral vigor No doubt the soil in
some places was getting into CON.
dition preiudiciaI to Lahaina cane.
Manager Bull Of Oahu plantation
asked why the deteriorations began on
the outside of a field-at ditch. road
or railroad. He had never known it
to begin on the inside of field.
Mr.. Peck had never observed such
fact. He had found the worst places.
IN the middle.
President Bishop thought Mr.. Bull
had referred to the original appear
ances of the deterioration
Manager Renton of Eva had exper.5
fence like that reported on Oahu
plantation, and thought the decadencei
appeared when the soil was either
too wet or too dry. As Mr.. Bull had
stated, it started from the outside
alongside q ditch where it was too
vet, or alongside railroad where
&c was too dry. He had found Just
one thing that would overcome tha
trouble, and that was to change the
seed. It was mentioned In the report.
as mystery" and there was some
thing mysterious about 1t. In sew.
eraI places where they had planted
Lahaina cane It was very inferior, I'm
one instance the yield being only two
tons an acre. Yet some Lahaina RAJ
toons on Eva were looking well, al
though perhaps not so coed as the
Demerara-
Suggests Change Of Crop
Mr.. Scott thought that it was in
the Hilo district that the Lahaina.
cane showed signs of going OUT He.
had never noticed the conditions
mentioned by Mr.. Bull of starting on
the uutside-it was the same all over.
the field Il seemed to be root
trouble. The cane might have a fine,
long stalk but little puff of wind
would topple it over Stools OF Vel.
low Caledonia would shoot up and
tower over the Lahaina cane. He
called DIR. Maxwell's attention to It,
who advised him to harvest that cane.
pillow up the land, lime It and then
plant 1t, which he did, but without
any better results. - :. .z# 81 s-ss
Z DR.. Lyon noticed in going over the
fields at Waipahu that the bad places
were at the bitches, generally about
the third row inside. Generally the
soil received better treatment on the
the borders of the bitches and close
to the roads. There was a point of
maximum exhilaration of the soil,
which, if passed, will probably injure
the plant. Soil, where it has received
attention, will often be found to have
reached the stage of maximum exhiI-,
aration. and when you go beyond that
the cane is injured.
Mr.. Bull asked If the seedlings of
Lahaina CANE were not free from the
weakness in question. Mr.. Agee had
mentioned two varieties that seemed
to be healthy. i
James Glib referred to conditions
he had observed in Hilo as far back
as 20 years ago. 1t was a matter of
only a short time, in his opinion, when
they would see the same conditions
all over the islands as now existed
on the two Oahu plantations under
discussion. 1t was a general rule in
agriculture that you have to change
your crop in location-yo1 cannot