The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1913-09-02
BUGS RELEASED
ON HAWAII
w. M. Giffard Distributes Thou
sands of Parasites Brought Here
From Africa by Which Eradica-
tion of Mediterranean Fruit-fy
May Be Accomplished.
Nail speeiaI to The Advertiser.l

Mail Special to The Advcrtiser.)
HlLO, August CIV. NJ. Giifard,
the head of the department of agricul.
ture and forestry, will return Monday
to Honolulu, after having spent vaca-
ton at his summer home near tho
Volcano While he was on this Island
Giffard interlarded pleasure with bust
ness, however. Among other things he
kept himself busy distributing horn-ily
parasites all over the Island. This par
asite, which was brought from Africa
by Professor Silvestri, the Italian ento-
mologist who brought the Mediterran-
can fruit fly parasite to the Islands, is
likely to prove great boon on the
ranches where the horn-hy has become
a troublesome pest.
Giffard stated last week that he had
liberated many thousands of the para
sites. The department preferred to lib
crate such parasites through its own Of
ficers, rather than by non-eXperts, as
a man who is familiar with the habits
and modus vivendi of the bugs can
place them more effectively than can
be done by man who knows nothing
about them. Giffard liberated parasites
| in kona on the Paris, Greenwich, Ma
guire and Hind ranches, on the Ship
man ranch in Kau and Kona, and on
the ranches at Pahala and at Waiohinu.
Will Require Year.
With regard to the success of the
Mediterranean fruit fly, parasites of
which were liberated some time ago,
Gitfard states that nothing definite can
be said as yet. He believes that it will
take about a year before data enough
| "a ha anonraI tn mo 10 Gnit ste
ments as to the outcome of the expert
ment. He adds, however, that the tests
which have been made in the labora-
tory in Honolulu have been exceedingly
successful, young bugs having been
produced by the thousands without the
slightest difficulty, and this, he believes,
augurs well for the success of the ex.
pertinent in the open.
To Resume Water Survey.
During his stay in IIilo last week Gift
| fard also gave out the glad news that
the work on the water survey mauka
of Hilo, which was interrupted about
two months ago, after it had been going
on there for about three years, will
probably be resumed during the begin
ming of next year, instead of being dis
continued for twO-year period as was
| originally reported.
Giffard states that the commissioners
of agriculture and forestry took action
in this matter mainly ON the report of
the head water survey bureau. That
official figured that he needed for the
work on hand at various places in the
group about eight thousand dollars
more than was available for the first
quarter period of the biennial period
He recommended accordingly that ;h1
work which could be postponed with
the least Inconvenience was that which
was going on mauka of Hilo. This
work would necessitate the building of
an eight .mie trail through the forest,
costing from $4,000 to $4,000. As
matter of fact, the work of measuring
the various streams would not be done
as effectively as it ought to be done,
unless this trail were built, reported the
engineer, and it was therefore decided
that it would be.bctter to postpone the
work until the trail was built, when 1T
could be done with the highest degree
of efficiency possible.
Work Begins in January.
The commissioners hope, therefore,
thatNat the beginning of the next quar-
terly period, that is about next Jan
uary, the surveyors camp mauka of the
Kaiwiki homesteads will be reostab'
lisheH, the new trail built and the work
RESUMED with renewed vigor. Giffard
aids that as Hilo is his second home,
there is every reason that he should feel
more aloha for this district than for
other islands, if he allowed his personal
feelings TO influence his official judg'
ment. He hopes to see the survey work
done with tho greatest efficiency pos
sible in order that the records may be
beneficial and valuable in the course of
time, as the water power and conserva-
ton question becomes an even more i'm
portant one here than it has been in
the past.