Honolulu Republican, Volume IV, Number 502, 21 January 1902 — CUT WORMS DECREASING [ARTICLE]

CUT WORMS DECREASING

AGRICULTURAL TORKiT TAHIAII PROFESSOR KOEBELE AND MR, BLCHHOL2 ARE PLEASED AT THE PROGRESS Excellent Patches of Fruit on Island of Oahu—With Water Anything Can Be Raised Successfully— Number* ~f Ladybirds to be Distributed to Eradicate Pest. Fr-if-'-ssor Koebele and Mr. Buehik. Iz. of Kona, have relumed from their trip to the Wahiawa colony where they sp nt two days looking info the agricultural work done at •hat pia.e. Proft-sscr Koebele went with ’he special intention of making an examination for cut worms and ether noxious insects. He found, iiowever. that it was too early in the - a?.oa for these insects to be numerous. The professor does not believe that the cut worms wiil be so numerous on land which has just been broken up. their number graduallv diminishing the longer the soil is under cultivation until at last they practically . disapp-ar altogether. Great Agricultural Progress. The professor spoke with much praise of the agricultural progress of Wahiawa. Sugar cane grows splen didly up there especially on th- higher elevations where rain is more abundant. Mr. Eame's patch of ranis an esceptlonally fine one. Pineap pies are doing so w ell there that Pro- i fessor Koebele says that it would be hard to find better patches of this fruit anywhere. Bananas and many oth» r fruits are also doing well and as soon as the farmers can irrigate) their lands from the large irrigation ; ditch, which is at present being constructed by the Wahiawa Agricul-) tura! Company, they will be able to I raise practically anything successfully. After the Ladybird. Professor Koebele will start on the Kinau for Hilo today. He will probably stay cn the big island for about a week. His object is to gather a large number of a certain species cf ladybird. Eriococcus. which he will 1 ring with him for distribution on j this island. These ladybirds, which were imported from Australia a few years ago by the professor, are very; useful as they live on the black scale.! Rhizobius. which is at present making its appearance in large quantities on many fruits here, alligator pears, figs and guavas being especial- j ly subject to its attacks. This species of ladybird has not been seen in Oahu but is quite numerous on Hawaii, it being found in especially largo numbers in the forests of Hamakua above Honokaa. The scale has not made its appearance at all in this place so the professor finds that it is evident that it must be able to get nourishment on some other substance. Professor Koebele will distribute a large number of the bugs on this island to counteract the seale whicn. although it is not really very injurious, i still injures the appearance of the| fruit which it attacks.