Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-12-03
Experiment Station Committee
Reports Success Over
Beetle Pest

Attention is called to the fact that
during the past year q study has
been made in the refineries of the
United States and Cuba as to the com
parative refining merits of Hawaiian
sugar with competitive sugar in a re-
port which has been filed with the
Hawaiian Sugar Planters Association
by the committee in charge of the
experiment station.
That very definite progress has
been made by the plantations in i'm
proving the refining quality Of their
sugar is now quite apparent to all, II
is one of the statements in the report
The report is signed by J.. ". Wal,
dron, J. F. c. Hagens. T. Fl. Petrie, A.
Gartley, c. r. Hemenway and J. N s.
Williams.
The report follows:
There is, perhaps, no work connect.
ed with the application of science to
our sugar industry which stands out
more prominently and which ID pro-
ductive Of greater and more lasting
benefits to the plantations than the
successful introduction Of effective
parasites to control our insect pests.
The Anomala beetle, which gained .
foothold on the Island Of Oahu some
six or more years ago, had already
done great damage before spreading
beyond the boundaries of two planta-
tions of this island. It is, therefore,
with distinct pleasure and pride that
we point to the introduction of what
appears to be a very valuable parasite
for checking the rayages Of this in
sect. In fact the outlook Is SO prom.
Using that It may already be regarded
as little short of a successful achieve.
ment. Special credit Is due Mr.. Muir
and the entomologists who have been
associated with him In this undertake.
ing which has extended over more
than four years and which involved
Investigations in Japan, Formosa, Java
and the Philippines before the effec-
tive parasite "a Scotia wasp was final.
ly located, introduced and established.
"The leafhopper outbreaks Of the
last three years have been serious and
will demand a thorough cooperation
between the plantations and the ento-
mologists Of the station In the system
attic distribution of parasites from one
field to another, along the lines advo-
Gated by Mr.. Muir. In connection
with the leafhopper outbreaks, wc feel
that 1t is absolutely necessary that the
department of entomology, in particu-
lar, again commence the regular in
spection Of the condition Of the plan.
tations-a work which has been some.
what neglected for the past year or
two, on account of all its energies be-
ing concentrated upon the introduce
ton of the enemy of the Anomala.
The work of the agricultural depart
ment, under Mr. Larsen, deserves spe-
cial mention. BY an extensive series
of field experiments a great deal Of
precise data is being secured upon
efficient methods Of fertilization, cui
tivation and irrigation. Your com.
mittee feels that there are many very
complex questions in connection with
cur agricultural problems and that
these can be dealt with by the planta-
lions only after such thorough-going
investigations as are now being con-
Quoted Jointly by the managers Of the
and the agriculturists of
this station.
The work of extending the propa-
CATION Of new Seeding varieties to the
other islands appears to have been a
particularly good move and has re-
suited in the production of some
eighteen thousand seedlings. This is
greater number than has been secur-
ed by the station in all of the pre-
vioIs years work in this connection.
Recent investigations by Mr.. Bur.