Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-12-02
Were taes had done more damage

where rats had done more damage
than borers a
| Dir. Forbes told Of loss Of - per
cent in some Hamakua fields from
leaf hopper.
! Mr. SweZey confessed inability to
state the reason for the prevalence Of
leaf hopper N that district. II nigh;
te due to the excessive rains there.
Useful Birds Wanted.
Frederick Muir associate entOmolO-
gist. explained why he had not tried
to bring parasites for the leaf hop
per from Java, or any other tropical
country he had visited. because they
would likely not thrive here in winter
when the pest was most active Be
cause a certain parasite of the AnO-
mala pest had an appetite fer bees
he thought il we'll to leave it alone.
He spoke hopefully of results from
the parasites he procured for combat
ing both the Anomala and the Jap
anese rose beetle. Regarding insect
vGrCus birds. it was his opinion that
there were very few species WHICH
would give unmiXed pleasures. One
exception was the king crow of For.
mesa, which, by the way. was not a
crow at all. but bird Of the street
and not Of the field. It was pretty
bird and protected by law in Formcsa.
He found a species of AnOmala beetle
in its crop.
| Mr. GoCdale asked him if he could
name a Chinese night bird that had
appeared at Waialua. and the answer
was that it might be the hwami.
! In answer to questions he said the
, swallow was useful but it was a mi
gratoFy bird, and the bat likewise, but
efforts to aCclimate it here had failed.
He did not think it advisable to set up
an aviary for experiments with for
eign birds, because Gagged birds would
eat almost anything to sustain life
and therefore could not be judged re-
Sarding their insectivcrCus quality.
Indeed, he would not favor the intro
ductiCn Of birds unless they were first
studied in their native habitats.
Mr.. Waldron read extracts from
letters to. the committee written by
Mr.. Muir. H. L. Lyon. pGthC,Cgist of
/ the staten, and E. NJ. Ehrhorn, terri
torial entomologist, which had led the
committee tc, give the bird question
prominence in its report.
! Mr.. Agee suggested that attention
might be concentrated on the Formo-
sa crow, and no response coming from
the foor the president advised that
the matter might safely be left with
the experiment station staff.
. Compliment From Washington.
! Judge Ballcu stated that, at a meet
ing OF the federal horticultural board
, in Washington that he attended, Mr..
NORTH, chairman, said that if quar-
antine regulations were as we'll en-.
forced in all the states and terrific.
ries as they were in Hawaii the gov,
eFnment would have no trouble in
keeping cut plant disease and pests
! Mr.. Tenpey mentioned the fact that
birds sometimes changed their habits
after being brought into Hawaii. The
| same thing was charged against the
mongoose.
! Mr.. Bishop, after some mere gen
efal talk, moved that the resolution
of 1911 be reenaeted and the expert,
itment station committee directed to
take such steps as it sees fit, in con.
junction with the federal and terrific
rial authorities toward the introduc.
ton Of beneficial birds into Hawaii.
This was seconded, and carried.
Sugar Cane Diseases.
Mr. Lyon then addressed the meet
ing on the subject of diseases of
sugar canes in various countries. He
made the interesting statement that
New Guinea was regarded as the orr
ginal home Of the sugar cane. In his
/ opinion it would be folly to attempt
the determination Of the striped leaf
disease by destroying all cane so in
Elected, as this remedy had proved fu,
tile in Formosa. The experiments in
killing rats through artifciaIiy pro-
duced disease was another thing that
had not been successful in these isl
ands.
| MIR. Bull. replying to Mr.. Agee, told
Iof the loss Of Lahaina cane on the
lower or. coral lands of Waipahu from
disease. There was little or no trou
Bile in other varieties of cane.
Nj. Agee said the disease in cues
4 "ASS AAOoS PECfaiCAl I'll ldHQS
around Pearl Harbor, but, answering
MI. Hagen. could not say that it was
due to irrigation with artesian water
as the records Of this and other cCun
tries did not establish such theory.
! Mr., Scott was satisfied that the
disease in Hilo district was not due
to brackish water (laughter), but to
root disease. This conviction was
reached after investigation of differ
ent varieties of cane In that and ad
lacent districts, and it appeared tc
him it was case of exhaustion oil
Icertain soil elements by Lahaina cane
Nut to Crack.
+ Mr., Bull asked, if Mr.. Scots view
was correct, how it was that Lahaina
cane planted in virgin soil at the ex
pertinent station was infected with
the identical disease mentioned. Mr.
Agee confessed he did not know.
Mr., Naeuin, chemist at Waipahu
said his father Ia louisiana planter)
used to maintain that the planting OF
two varieties of cane tOoefhor opcuro6