THE MELON FLY is a truck-crop pest that in 

 the course of international commerce has been 

 spread from its native home in the Indo-Malayan 

 region to the Hawaiian Islands, and has become so 

 thoroughly established that it can not be eradicated. 

 Owing to its destructive work, such fruits as musk- 

 melons, watermelons, pumpkins, squashes, cucum- 

 bers, vegetable marrows, and tomatoes can not be 

 grown to-day in many parts of the Hawaiian Islands 

 unless the plants are screened. Cantaloupes and 

 watermelons, instead of being common and cheap 

 delicacies, as in former years, are now a luxury 

 even for the wealthy; and cantaloupes, formerly 

 grown in quantities about Honolulu, are now im- 

 ported from California. Owing to the danger of 

 introducing the melon fly into countries where it 

 does not now exist, quarantines prohibit the export 

 of Hawaiian-grown eggplant, bell peppers, and 

 tomatoes, thus shutting off an income formerly 

 enjoyed by the small farmer. In short, it is not 

 possible to exaggerate the seriousness of this insect 

 under Hawaiian coastal conditions. 



The problem, however, is not entirely a local one 

 to be fought out by the people of Hawaii. Should 

 the melon fly once break through the Federal quar- 

 antine barriers and become established on the main- 

 land of the United States, it will exact a large 

 annual toll of the truck crops of the South. It is 

 important, therefore, that truck growers learn some- 

 thing about this pest, so difficult of control, in order 

 that they may become actively interested in keeping 

 it out. 



