Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-12-02

where rats had done more damage
than borers.
/ Mr. Forbes told Of loss Of - per
cent in some Hamakua fields from
leaf hopper.
1 Mr.. Swezey confessed inability to
state the reason for the prevalence of
leaf hopper in that district. 1t might
be due to the excessive rains there.
Useful Birds Wanted.
Frederick Muir, associate entomoio-
gist, explained why he had not tried
TO bring parasites for the leaf hop
per from lava, or any other tropical
country he had visited, because they
would likely net thrive here in winter
when the pest was most active. Be
cause certain parasite Of the Ano-
maIa pest had an appetite for bees
he thought it well to leave 1t alone.
He spoke hopefully Of results from
the parasites he procured for combat
ing both the Anomafa and the jap
anese rose beetle. Regarding insecti-
vorCus birds, it was his opinion thai
there were very few species which
would give unmixed pleasures. One
exception was the king crow Of For.
mosa, which, by the way, was not a
crow at all, but bird Of the street
and not Of the field. 1t was pretty
bird and, protected by law in Formosa
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 1t might be the hwami
/ In answer to questions he said the
, swallow was useful but It was a mi
gratory bird, and the bat likewise, but
efforts to aoclimate II 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-
ssardsng their insectivorCus quality.
/ Indeed, he would not favor the intro
ductiOn OF birds unless they were first
studied IN their native habitats.
Mr.. Waldrcn read extracts from
! letters to the committee written by
Mr.. Muir. H. l.. Lyon, pc biologist of
, the STATEN. and E.. NJ. Ehrhorn. terri
ftorfal entomologist, which had led the
committee to 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 floor the president advised that
the matter might safely be left with
the, experiment station STAFF. lie. ~.
tccmpliment From Washington. -
Judge BallGu stated that, at meet
ing OF the federal horticultural board
lin Washington that he attended, Mr..
Morrill,, chairman, said that il quar-
antine regulations were as well en-
forced i'm all the states and terrific
Ties as they were IN Hawaii the gov
ernment would have no trouble ia
keeping out plant disease and pests
Mr.. Tenney mentioned the fact that
birds sometimes changed their habits
after being brought into Hawaii. The
same thing was charged against the
m0ngoose.o = 80 - s~ass ,-%s.
Mr.. Bishop. after some more gem
,era1 talk, moved that the resolution.
of 1911 be teenactea and the expert
ment station committee directed to
take such steps as It sees fit, In con-
junction with the federal and terrific
rial authorities, toward the introduce
tion CT beneficial birds into Hawaii
This was seconded and carried. .a.1:'.
Sugar Cane Diseases. ! -. .er -
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 I'm
fected, as this remedy had proved fu..
| tile In FormoSa The experiments in
killing rats through artificiaIly pro-
duced disease was another thing that
had not been successful in these ISL
ands. = E&s1s,fe a.. ~ :
Mr.. Bull, replying to Mr.. Agee, told
Of the loss OF Lahaina cane on the
lower Of coral lands Of Waipahu from
disease. There was little or no 'trou-
BILE in other varieties Of cane. a.
Mr. Agee said the disease In Dues
tioa was most : prevalent on lands
around Pearl Harbor. but. answering
Mr. Hagen, could not say that it was
| due to irrigation With artesianf water.
as the records Of this and other coun-
tries did not establish such theory.
Mr.. Scott was satisfied that the
disease in Hilo district was not due
to brackish water Caughter), but to
root disease. This conviction was
reached after Investigation OF differ
ent varieties of cane In that and adj
accent districts, and 1t appeared to
him II was a case Of exhaustion of
certain soil elements by Lahaina cane.
Nut 10 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. Nactin, chemist at WafDailu.