The House of Everlasting Fire Kilauea

BY GENEVIEVE E. STRASSER

The following articles are from the pen of one who has gazed into the livid depths of Kilauea-The House of Everlasting Fire. Interwoven in her story, are stray bits of quaint folk lore and interesting glimpses of the natives' fear of the goddess Pele and her home "Halemaumau."-(Editor's Note.)

I.

The House of the Sun

Situated on the island of Oahu, Honolulu beckons to the tired and workworn world. With its mixed population of 5000 whites and 70,000 mixed orientals it is one of the eight islands of which the territory of Hawaii is composed. It is the starting point from which most junketing expeditions to Kilauea begin.

Boarding the inter-island steamer "Mauna Kea" one afternoon at about two-thirty, we steamed along on the lee side of Oahu. The diving boys went out in the harbor with us, diving and leaping from the upper deck and life boats. They were all brown-skinned Kanakas clad in a smile and ultra fashionable Hawaiian bathing trunks. The water was an almost impossible blue, and behind it rose the beloved mountains with their tops covered by a carpet of green. Across them played a rainbow, spanning the valleys as though forming a bridge for wind sprites.

Leaving Oahu, we entered Kaiwi Channel, dotted with Japanese fishing sampans. In the dim distance was the island of Molokai, the site of the famous leper settlement, where devout Sisters sacrifice their hours to bring happiness to the stricken orientals. Soon we reached Maui, the “Valley Isle," dropping anchor in Lahaina harbor at about half past nine. Lahaina is the former location of a royal residence and a city of 10,000 inhabitants. Because of the dangerous coral reefs, all passengers are taken ashore in small boats.

Haleakala, the House of the Sun, is the largest extinct volcano in the world and the main attraction on the island. From the top, one looks down into a vast pit with perpendicular sides, with a diameter of seven and one-half miles and a depth of several thousand feet.

The most verdant imagination cannot picture the spectacle which must have occurred when this mighty mountain, ten thousand feet high, was rent asunder and the sea of molten fire, rushing, roaring and seething, swept all life before its burning tongues of lava. The city of New York could be buried within the depths of the crater. The sunrise on the summit of Haleakala, above the clouds, is one of the most wonderful and inspiring sights in the world. (Article two: Hilo and "Twelve-and-one-half miles.")

to the wishes of the workman. One of the most effective scrapers is one composed of a wooden handle about twelve inches long with a steel knife shaped like a question mark (about eight inches in length) on the end, the edges and end of it being sharpened. This gives a three-way cutting surface and permits entry into all the parts affected. Others use a tool with a V-shaped knife. The main thing to be sure of, is that the tool is sharp enough to remove all the bark and that it can be manipuated so as not to injure the cambium.

After the surface is scraped, it is usual to paint the exposed portions. The necessity of this is questioned, as trees which have been scraped and not painted have recovered as

quickly and thoroughly as those that were given complete painting. Painting does, however, tend to prevent the area from being sunburned and also minimizes possibility of infection.

Preparation for Painting

The preparation generally recommended is a combination of lime and copper sulphate (bluestone). Two pounds of lime are dissolved in three quarts of water. One pound of copper sulphate is dissolved in the same amount (3 quarts) of water. Equal portions of the two solutions are then mixed. The resulting mixture should assume a bluish-green color. If it does not there is some fault in the solution and the mixture should be discarded. It is better to keep the solutions fresh, although they can be kept effectively for about a month. If the mixture becomes a very dark blue it should be thrown out. This is the mixture commonly known as Bordeaux paste.

Takes Over One Year

The mixture of lime and copper sulphate is then put into a quart bucket or other convenient container. With a medium sized brush, it is applied to the area which has been scraped. Every part of the exposed surface should be completely painted over. When this painting is done, the treatment for the time being is completed. The effectiveness of the method should not be judged by one year's time. Often the treatment merely retards the spreading of the disease. The parts treated should be later examined. If the bark is dying away from the area, it should be removed and the parts thus exposed, painted. If the work is done by commercial organizations, be certain that they are instructed to examine their work later and continue the treatment if required. The presence

of gum alone is not serious as the gum is not infectious.

Scaly bark has been known to eliminate itself through a period of time. On the other hand, some orchards which have been infected for ten years are worse than they were several seasons ago.

Time for Treatment

The time for making the treatment is between June first and September first. One main reason for choosing this period is that no cold weather is apt to occur which will injure the exposed surfaces. It should follow fumigation rather than precede it.

Scaly bark is thought not to be contagious. All attempts to inoculate other trees with its spores have been unsuccessful.

Not Same as Gumosis

Gumosis and scaly bark resemble each other closely. In fact many growers confuse the two diseases. Gumosis is usually confined to lemon trees, though the orange is not wholly immune. Gumosis is caused by the same fungus (Pythiacystis Citrophthora) that causes the brown rot of the lemon. It lives in the soil and is spread by the spores being splashed or thrown onto the leaves and branches which come near the surface of the ground. The fungus thrives during periods of high humidity or rains.

Control of Gumosis

One effective method of controlling infection bv gumosis is by spraying the lower portions of the tree with Bordeaux paste. This is primarily to prevent the spore travel. After the disease is actually noted, the treatment for gumosis should be followed explicitly. Information will be given in a later article on this topic. Dead and decayed fruit should be removed from the tree and burned or thrown into an exposed place.

In gumosis, the gum oozes out of the affected parts and scale formations appear. This feature causes the close resemblance between this disease and scaly bark. Growers should bear in mind that gumosis is usually confined to lemon trees and the presence of oozing gum and scales on an orange tree will probably indicate scaly bark. Where oranges are grafted on lemon stock, it has been noted that gumosis will spread up the stock as far as the graft and there stop.

Longitudinal Splitting