The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1893-06-20
IN RE TOBACCO CULTURE.
THE COMMISSIONERS TALKS
ABOUT 1T.
Under Proper Conditions He Claims 1t
Would be a Great Source OF
Wealth to the Islands

search Of items and been unsuccessful
in finding any, to call upon Commls
sioner Marsden, at the new Offices Of
the Bureau Of Agriculture in the
Judiciary Building, a day or two since
That official was busily engaged in
examining numerous specimens of
blight, bugs, pestlerous insects, etc,
through powerful microscope, and his
goodnatured disposition together with
his familiarity with the subject on
which the reporter wanted information,
made him an easy prey to the later's
rapacity.
After a few minutes spent in con
versaton on bugology in which science
Mr. Wray Taylor Secretary Of the
Board Of immigration, is becoming
almost as much an adept as he is on
musical matters, the STAR man drew
Mr. Marsden away and whispered in
his ear the one little word tobacco"
Mr.. Marsden responded to the sug-
gestion with alacrity, and in answer to
numerous questions put by the reporter,
the STAR is enabled to offer the follow
ing important suggestions and informa
ton on the subject, which for the pur-
pose of saving space, are reduced into
the scope of one general question and
answer.
"The STAR wants to know, Mr..
Marsder, what you know about tobacco
raising in these islands-can it be
made to pay now, at any time, or under
any conditions2'
The answer was "Sit right down,
you are the man ! am looking for.
People say that | am making somewhat
of hobby on tobacco, but it is not so,
although | am firmly convinced that
tobacc0-growing on these Islands will
soon become permanent and success.
full business, and in fact that it will
eventually be one Of our lasting in.
dustries. OF course there will be a
transition period before then, or rather,
| might say an experimental period,
before it can be properly demonstrated
that the raising Of tobacco can be made
paying proposition. | have had some
little experience with the plant in fact
first made acquaintance with It in
southern India, years and years ago
1t did not take me long to find out
after my arrival in these Islands, thai
the tobacco plant grows here like any
other common weed. AS to how Oh
when the plant was first introduced
here cannot say, bat report says thai
both Captain Cook and Vancouver
brought the original seed with them
But that is wandering somewhat from
the subject.
"UnSuCCessful experiments to grow {
fine quality of smoking tobacco have
been made here off and on for twenty
years past, and in each instance have
been a failure, as far as | can learn
and it seems to be the general opinion
shared in by experts in the matter witt
whom | have Conversed, that a really
good article of smoking tobacco Canno
be raised on the Islands. BY this,
mean an article that would find aread,
sale in London, New York, New Or
leans or any of the great tobacco mart
of the world. While this, | believe, i
true in regard to smoking tobacco, thOs
who nave experimental with the plan
should remember there are many varie
ties of it, and that leaf unfit for tn,
pipe may command a high price whel
worked into the form of a cigar Tina
is what | would like to impress upo
the people of the Hawaiian Islands
While | admit we cannot grow smok
ing tobacco protitably, | hold 10 tn
proposition that we can grow lea
suitable for use in the manufacture c
cigars such as would command tn
highest price in any market During
somewhat extended residence in tn
great tobacco raising districts of south
ern India, and again while in Java,
learned that for ciglr-maklng purposes
the island of Sumatra produces tn
finest and highest priced tobaCc
in the world. This is where | want t
make my point. While Sumatra
considerably better than Hawaii, tn
latter has a much larger rainfall, and
moist atmosphere like ours just suit
the tobacco plant To successful
cultivate tobacco one must have
soil particularly adapted to it. w
have in Hawai-; the soil here as far Z
regards its chemical constituents an
especially the amount of Satpetl
contained in it is very similar to thi
Of the best tobacc) growing districts
lava and Sumatra. The plant seen
to have a peculiar affection for sal
petre and readily assimilates all that
within the reach of its roots This h;
been the stumbling block in the way
tobacco raising here, for no proce
has yet been discovered by which Il
peculiar burning taste Of siItpetre ca
10 ali,,;n.taJ Cr,n, .ba Loaf ,,,itb o.,