THE MONTHLY BULLETIN. 233 



EXPORTS OF FRESH PINEAPPLES. 



Location of fields. 



The commercial production of pineapples on the Island of Oahu is 

 centralized in three districts : Wahiawa, where the industry originated, 

 is located midway of the central plateau, Waimea. on the north side 

 of the island, and on the cast or windward side in scattered plantings 

 from Punaluu to Kaneohe. The product of the fields in all of these 

 districts (excepting the minor export of fresh pineapples) is sent to 

 Honolulu, either by rail or water, and worked up into finished products 

 at the canneries and does not concern the purpose of this report. 



Fresh pineapples for export. 



These are produced in the Wahiawa district, are cut green and 

 packed in the town of Wahiawa, loaded on ears, hauled direct to the 

 docks at Honolulu and loaded into the ships from the car. 



Packing material. 



My information upon this phase of the subject was obtained directly 

 from Mr. Thonsas, the principal shipper of fresh pineapples, during a 

 visit to his plantation. 



Excelsior is used exclusively as packing material, and the same is 

 imported for this purpose from Seattle. The unbroken bales of this 

 material are taken direct by rail from the docks at Honolulu to the 

 packing-house at WahiaAva, as are also the shook from which the 

 shipping crates are made. No old or used material enters in any way 

 into the packing or boxing of pineapples exported in the fresh state. 



Conditions of surroundings. 



A United States government reservation adjoins and divides the 

 Wahiawa pineapple district. In this reservation are many old pine- 

 apple fields that have been abandoned, due to the expiration of the 

 tenure of lease. In these the guava bushes are common, as also upon 

 the surrounding plain. I found eggs of the fruit-fly in guavas in this 

 district and larva; in strawberry guavas growing in a house yard at 

 Wahiawa. No evidence of the Mediterranean fruit-fly attacking pine- 

 apples has been observed by the growers nor recorded by the agents 

 who have been studying and experimenting with this fruit as a pos- 

 sible host under both natural and artificial conditions for some time 

 past. 



Inspection or regulations. 



No official inspection Avhatever is made of the fresh pineapples either 

 before or during preparation for export, nor could I learn of any 

 regulations covering the removal or control of host plants of the fly 

 contiguous to the fields or packing sheds. At San Francisco all fresh 

 pineapples destined for points in California are always fumigated with 

 hydrocyanic acid gas before being released from the dock. 



FRUIT AND VEGETABLES AS SHIPS' STORES. 



Upon this subject I was unable to obtain any positive information 

 whatever. No official appeared to have any knowledge of the extent 

 of this traffic, the source of supply or the methods employed in 

 handling the same. I observed the fruit and vegetables displayed for 



