Entomological Triumphs

In Fiji and Tahiti

From Our Own Correspondent

Papeete, July 20.

A BOOK review in The Times of Mr.

T. H. C. Taylor’s work on “Biological Control,” states: “Fiji, in particular, has cause to be thankful to the entomologists, for they first suppressed a moth that was a severe menace to the coconut industry, by in troducing a fly from Malaya. Then they effected permanent control of a destruc tive scale insect, by introducing a beetle from Trinidad: and now they have con trolled the leaf-mining beetle by intro ducing a parasite from Java.”

Tahiti also has cause to be thankful to the entomologists of Fiji, for from there has come a parasite (the Piaesius Javanus ) to combat the boring insect which is destroying our /e’i and banana plantations.

The f&i —or mountain plantain—is a

staff of life to the natives of the Society Islands. Formerly it grew abundantly in the hills, back of Papeete; but insect pests and the spread of the thorny Lan tana have so diminished the plantations that the major supply of fe J i now comes from distant districts and from other islands.

The importation of the Plaesius Javanus is another contribution to the colony by a resident of Tahiti, who has brought from abroad many valuable plants suitable for cultivation in the islands.

His estate is a veritable botanical gar den of exotic flowering trees, fruit trees, and many other decorative and food plants from Java, Borneo, the Malay States, and Burma—which he has intro duced, propagated (at his own expense), and distributed for the adornment of the highways and parks of Papeete and the gardens of his friends.