5^ MISCELLANEOUS PAPEES ON A.PICULTUBE. 



+24.5; in ash, from o.:;i per cenl to 2.ot per cent; in reducing sugars, from 

 70.84 per cent to 59.76 per cenl ; and in organic matter not sugar, from l.ii per 

 cent to 15. ss per cent. In sucrose also there is an irregular Increase from 3.58 

 to 7.2 per cent, this increase becoming more regular as soon as the quantity of 

 honeydew is sufficient to mask the variation in sucrose contenl of the individual 

 honeys in the series of blends. The granulation of the blends decreases with 

 the increase of honeydew and ceases at about the 'point of optical inactivity. 

 The latter point, as has been said, is taken by the chemist as the arbitrary 

 dividing line between normal and abnormal honeys, and bee keepers in the 

 Hawaiian Islands who are troubled with honeydew have in the matter of gran- 

 ulation a rough guide for the classification of their product. If the honey 

 granulates, it may be put in the normal class; if it remains liquid for any 

 length of time, it probably belongs to the class of honeydews. This statement 

 does not apply in general to mainland honeys. 



The dextrorotatory honeydew honeys can not be regarded as adulterated, in 

 the strictest sense of the word; nevertheless they are frequently so pronounced 

 by chemists, who, in the general work of routine, are often satisfied with a most 

 superficial examination, and regard dextrorotation or high ash content as cer- 

 tain evidence of adulteration. 



There is a test which may be applied with considerable safety. 

 Algarroba honey granulates rapidly and pure honeydew honey does 

 not ; it has been found by analysis that mixtures which granulate are 

 as a rule of such a chemical composition that they may be sold as 

 honey. The flavor and color may be characteristic of honeydew 

 honey in spite of the fact that the mixture contains enough floral 

 honey to be sold as such. 



The sugar-cane leaf hopper was first collected on the islands by Dr. 

 R. C. L. Perkins, now connected with the Hawaiian Sugar Planters' 

 Agricultural Experiment Station, in 1900/' and by February or 

 March of 1903 had " appeared generally throughout the cane fields 

 of ITaYv T aii in numbers sufficient to prove a serious check to the growth 

 of the cane." l) For several years the work of this insect caused a loss 

 of about $3,000,000 annually c to the planters, and naturally they were 

 anxious that something be done to stop this heavy loss. By various 

 means the leafhopper has been brought under control until to-day 

 it is not abundant enough to hinder the growth of the plants, " and 

 plantations that were to a certain extent abandoned are again pro- 

 ducing heavy crops of sugar." d 



During the time spent on the islands the author saw no sugar-cane 

 fields that were seemingly injured by the leafhopper, but, on the other 

 hand, there were no cane fields examined that did not contain many 



a The Leaf-Hopper of the Sugar Cane, by R. C. L. Perkins. Bulletin No. 1. 

 Division of Entomology, Board of Commissioners of Agriculture and Forestry, 

 Territory of Hawaii, 1903. 



6 The Sugar Cane Leaf-Hopper in Hawaii, hy D. L. Van Dine. Bulletin No. 5, 

 Hawaii Agricultural Experiment Station. 1004. 



c Report of the Governor of Hawaii to the Secretary of the Interior for the 

 fiscal year ending June 30, 1007, p. 22. 



d Ibid. 



