THE SUGAR-CANE LEAFHOPPER. 95 
sensitiveness. The frequent stripping, required for Lahaina and Rose Bamboo in 
these wet places, has necessarily added to the cost of cultivation, and the ready manner 
in which Yellow Caledonia tends to strip itself is no small item in favor of economy. 
Again the manner in which it keeps down weeds, which were such a menace to its 
predecessors on the unirrigated plantations, is another strong point in its favor. In 
dry districts subject to occasional drought, it has amply demonstrated its hardihood 
over Rose Bamboo, which in turn ismore resistant to such unfavorable climatic features 
than Lahaina. By sending its roots down deep into the soil it draws from a larger 
reserve supply of water than the older varieties, which are more shallow feeders and 
which soon feel the effects of a rainless period. 
Dr. R. C. L. Perkins reports as follows on the relative immunity 
of different varieties of cane from leafhopper attack :4 
It seems certain that some varieties of cane will stand the attack of leaf-hopper 
better than others. Mr. Eckart, Director of the Hawaiian Sugar Planters’ Experiment 
Station, has furnished me with a list of new varieties of cane (see Appendix, Note II 
below), grown there, arranged in order, according to the relative injury that each 
sustained from _leaf-hopper. 
There may come, however, so severe an attack that no cane can resist it. Thus’ 
we have seen plants of ‘‘ Yellow Caledonia” (at the extreme end of the list) which 
were of the strongest and most thrifty nature previous to the attack, some entirely 
destroyed and others very badly injured after a bad outbreak. It is, however, prob- 
able that from an attack of hopper which would entirely destroy a field of ‘‘Rose 
Bamboo,’’ for instance, a field of ‘‘Yellow Caledonia” might recover. 
The following is the note to which Doctor Perkins refers above: 
The following list of new varieties (i. e., varieties other than the old standard ones 
of these islands) of cane at the Hawaiian Planters’ Experiment Station has been drawn 
up for me by Mr. C. F. Eckart, the Director. They are arranged in order, according 
to the amount of damage sustained from leaf-hopper attack, Queensland 4 suffering 
most and Yellow Caledonia least: 
(1) Queensland 4 (10) Tiboo Merd 
(2) Queensland 1 (11) Louisiana Striped 
(3) Queensland 8A. (12) Striped Singapore 
(4) Louisiana Purple (13) Big Ribbon 
(5) Demerara 95 (14) Queensland 7 
(6) Gee Gow (15) Demerara 117 
(7) Cavengerie (16) White Bamboo 
(8) Demerara 74 (17) Yellow Caledonia. 
(9) Yellow Bamboo 
Cultural methods on the plantation.—The writer has already men-_ 
tioned the fact that the epidemic of 1903 began during the winter 
months, in a wet season, and at a time when the cane was making 
practically no growth. The centers from which the infestation spread 
over the cane fields were invariably unfavorable locations for growth. 
It has been noted in this report that all varieties suilered in these 
unfavorable locations but that certain varieties made a better show-: 
ing. The extension of the acreage of one variety in particular, 
@ PERKINS, R. C. L.—The leaf-hopper of the sugar-cane. <Bd. of Agr. and For- 
estry, Hawaii, Div. Ent., Bul. 1, p. 13, 1903. 
83327°—Bull, 93—11——4 
