The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-11-16
WHAT WE CAN PRODUCE,
INDUSTRIES THAT SHOULD BE
PLANTED HERE.
An Article by Commissioner Narsdeu
an the Need Of Diversified Agri-
culture In Hawaii.

This country has been greatly bene-
fitted in the past by the work of pri.
vate individuals in the way of introduce
ing new plants and trees, but the field
is still very large and the opportunities
many for introducing new fruit trees,
shrubs and useful plants of every de-
scription that will be likely to thrive in
this climate. 1t is an old and true
Scotch saying that Many Mickles
Make a Muckle,' and if all those who
own or lease land will do their mickle
in few years we shall have IA muckle.
The culture of fruit should and will
increase. As AN industry it will never
attain the dimensions OF the sugar and
rice industry, but il will form an i'm
portant item amongst the various
factors of production which may be
successfully prosecuted in these islands.
1t is plain to he seen that i'm order t.
establish the commercial prospects OF
the Hawaiian Islands on a more secure
and permanent basis, greater vari-
ETY. of agricultural industries is urgently
needed. Any one large and genera
industry. such as sugar, on which thC
country is now entirely dependent, is
liable at any time to be injuriously af
fected by one or more of number OF
causes, such as strikes, drouth and the
m Of 1,xti IN, hn ,tr,n I,
which are the markets for our produce
A striking example of this was seer
and felt by the passage of the Mckinley
bill which suddenly changed tn,
islands from state of great prosperity
to one of severe commercial depression
Only one of our industries was affected
by that measure, but unfortunately foi
us, it was our principal one. If we hao
had other industries approaching il
magnitude that of sugar. our genera
prosperity would not have been so seri
ously crippled. AS it is, sugar is oul
main dependence, and is certain to be
so for some years to come: but the
attention of the country has beer
awakened to the urgent need of new
and diversified industries and the McKin
ley bill has made this possible with the
price paid for labor, to grow and manu-
facture subsidized sugars. No othel
industry could flourish. but now as re
CARDS sugar we are no better off thar
any other canegrowing country, anC
if other industries besides sugar cal
succeed in those lands they can surely
be made to prosper here.
1t is not to be expected that new in
dustries can be at once established an,
placed upon paying basis. Mucl
patient and careful experiment will
have 10 be made before we arrive at tn,
knowledge necessary for the successful
prosecution of any new enterprise.
With the view of starting an expert
mental station, the government has, a
the request of the Bureau of Agricul
ture, set apart 222 acres of suitable lane
for botanic garden and experimental
station. The land selected is the lant
of Kenalo and embraces one-h half Of
Punchbowl and all the rich slope to
wards the Lunalilo home and runnin,
mauka to an elevation of 1000 feet
Here as soon as the necessary arrange
ments can be made, all varieties o
economic trees and plants, that seen
best adapted to this climate will be had
and the results made known to tn
public. Experiments of IA like char
acter will be made in different parts o
the country where the conditions ar
such as to give reasonable hopes of sue
cess.
AS before stated, the prosperity o
Hawaii depends entirely on her agri
cultural progress, and it may be in orde
here to indicate few of our agricult
ural possibilities that are patientl
awaiting development
Most of the economic trees and plant
that are cultivated in tropical and semi
tropical countries will grow and thriv
on these Islands; but many such plant
and trees are unsuitable for cultivation
here on account of being produced i
those countries where the price of labo
is so extremely low as to entirely pre-
clude any competition by this country
Tea is such product. 1t grows we
here and is of a good quality, but HOY
can we expect 70 compete with Indi
with her labor at cents day, an
China and Japan with labor at from 4
to "a per month. 1t is simply out of tn
question.
Coffee is very different product an
the bulk of it is raised in countrit
where the price of labor approximate
the price of labor here. Brazil, whic
produces three-fourths of the world
crop, has now to pay for her labor. B,
fore Dom Pedro was deposed coffee we
raised by slave labor. Since the email
cipation of the slaves. coffee has steadil
risen in price, and the worlds consuml
ton is ON the increase. The coffee il
, dustry in these Islands has brilliar
prospects before it, and will surely b.
come one of our great staple produ
, tons.
In order to obtain the best results frol