THE  jHAWAI  I AN 
fORESTER  I AGRICULTURIST 
Vol.  VI  AUGUST,  1909  No.  8 
Albert  Koebele’s  phenomenal  success  with  Novius  cardinalis 
against  Icerya  in  California  in  1889  was  the  starting  point  for 
a new  regime  in  applied  entomology,  especially  in  States  bor- 
dering on  the  Pacific  and  in  these  islands.  The  blessings 
stored  in  the  utilization  of  beneficial  insects,  that  were  but 
dreams  until  then,  suddenly  appeared  to  suffering  farmers  in 
unquestionably  practical  form.  Here  was  a source  of  relief 
from  insect  depredations  that  was  inexpensive,  possessed  of 
numerous  qualities  making  it  immeasurably  superior  to  arti- 
ficial warfare  and  opening  a vista  of  ease  and  profit  beyond 
the  dream  of  avarice.  Such  was  the  hue  in  which  Koebele’s 
brilliant  achievement  was  seen  by  the  average  fruit  grower 
and  horticulturist,  uninitiated  into  the  intricacies  of  applied 
entomology.  Indissolubly  coupled  with  the  work  of  ransack- 
ing the  world  for  beneficial  insects  was  the  institution  of  in- 
spection and  quarantine  of  all  live  vegetable  matter  imported 
into  the  State.  The  first  to  enjoy  the  benefits  of  a useful  in- 
sect, California  was  the  pioneer  to  establish  (1890)  entomol- 
ogical inspection  of  which  the  late,  lamented  Alexander  Craw 
was  the  head. 
Of  the  benefits  of  a beneficial  insect  Hawaii  first  tasted  in 
1890,  and  in  1893  she  retained  the  services  of  the  ablest  col- 
lector of  man’s  insect  friends  and  enjoys  them  to  the  present 
day.  The  horrible  depredations  of  the  sugar  cane  leaf  hopper 
induced  us  in  1904  to  bring  to  our  shores  the  most  expert  of 
inspectors  also,  and  this  effectively  closed  our  gates  against 
invasion  by  insect  pests.  Our  isolated  position  permits  of 
most  thorough  exclusion,  though  our  anchorage  in  Mid- 
Pacific,  surrounded  by  countries  similar  in  climate  and  in- 
habited by  countless  potential  pests,  makes  our  situation  pre- 
carious unless  our  inspection  is  most  vigilant. 
It  is  not  the  writer’s  belief  that  all  artificial  remedies  are  to 
be  abandoned  in  anticipation  of  relief  from  insect  friends.  No 
general  rule  can  be  made  in  this  respect,  depending  as  it  does 
upon  the  conditions  surrounding  the  affected  crop.  It  was 
absurd  to  attempt  artificial  remedies  against  the  cane  leaf  hop- 
per; it  would  be  equally  absurd  for  one  cultivating  citrus  trees 
on  these  islands  for  profit  to  let  his  trees  suffer  from  damage 
