121 



Inter-Island Inspection. 



Fifty-eight steamers ply-ing between the port of Honolulu and 

 other island ports were attended to during the month. The fol- 

 lowing shipments were passed as free from pests: 



Taro 600 bags 



Plants 160 boxes 



Vegetables 189 boxes 



Fruit 8 boxes 



Total Passed 957 packages 



The following packages were refused shipment, as they did 

 not meet with the regulations pertaining to soil and infestations. 



Plants 8 packages 



Fruit 9 packages 



Total Refused 17 Dackag-es 



Respectfully submitted, 



E. M. Ehrhorn, • 

 Chief of Division of Plant Inspection. 



It is a common mistake in growing vegetables not to make the 

 soil fine enough, and the seeds are sown among small clods. At 

 other times the soil is in too soft a condition, and the seeds are 

 planted to loose soil. Such soil conditions are often responsible 

 for unsatisfactory germination or at least weak development. 

 Very often vegetable seed is planted too deep. The smaller the 

 seed the shallower it must be planted; peas may be planted two 

 inches deep, lettuce seeds merely raked in and barely covered. 

 Seeds should never be sown too thickly. — Agricultural Nezvs. 



In contradistinction to school gardens, home gardens are be- 

 coming increasingly popular in Canada. The Agricultural 

 Gazette of Canada contains an account of the progress made in 

 various provinces, and it appears that the scheme is successful 

 and useful. A good deal depends on the assistance and super- 

 vision of the visiting teachers. It appears that the pupils take a 

 greater interest in home gardens than in school gardens, which 

 is only to be expected in view of the fact that the home garden is 

 entirely in the pupil's own hands. — Agricultural Nezvs. 



More than a thousand million pounds' weight of coffee comes 

 to the United States, according to the Louisiana Planter, which 

 then goes on to say that Dr. L. K. Hirshberg, of the Johns Hop- 

 kins University, says that coffee is a food, a whip, a fertilizer, a 

 heat-maker, a true stimulant, a thirst quencher. Roasted, it con- 

 tains over 13 per cent fat and oil, but little or no moisture. 



