The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-04-20
THE CULTURE or COTTON,
~ tSttnIsftSo Antirin WIN
Lu,AL nIAntNu.
4 Practical Paper on the nature aud
Process ~ an Industry witch MAJ
Vet Prevail uere.
Lconlmned Prom nesierlan.l

districts Ia the group specially fitted to |
the cultivation OF herbaccous cotton,
aud that the two great secondary |
species, American and Sea Island, would /
in those districts, attain perfect growth |
and prove largely profitable. There is
certainly no drawback in the climate;
in that particular this country possesses |
a great advantage over the West Indies, !
in the same latitude; would not have
the beating rains, wind storms and hail
OF the Southern States; would possess
an advantage over Egypt in point of
regular water, and would not suffer as
do the cotton growers OF India in many
localities from the simeon, floods and
day. The point becomes one OF soil and
moisture. In Folsom valley, ON the
Cimarron, under the dead volcano, Ca
puliu, in the territory OF New Mexico,
growing from a soil of much the char
acter OF that OF Honolulu. | once saw
one Of the loveiest cotton gardens it has
ever been my privilege to behold; the
soil of Fiji is identical with parts of the
Islands OF Oahu, Maui and Kauai, and
experiments there in the growth of
herbaceous cotton have proven en-
tirely satisfactory. | would not, how
ever, attempt to grow cotton in Homo
lulu, or in place of its location and of
exactly its soil. A location more open
unhedged by mountains, and a soil bet
ter fitted for the retention of moisture
and less free to crust, would impress
me quicker. And | would not look
farther than the location of Eva planta-
ton before my stakes would be arrang-
ed; and there, about the Goth of Feb
ruary, should plant field of American
cotton, proceeding in the manner l
have heretofore described, The soil is
good, the climate is perfeck and
should hope it would never rain upon
my crop, for the brackish water to be
drawn from wells in that vicinity would
be the best possible moisture the world
or nature could offer. l am not pre-
pared to state exactly when l would
plant the second crop; but | see no
reason why the same stalks would not
hold their own for two years, and do
not believe the filament would deterior-
ate a great deal in three or even four
years. For fertilizer / should desire
nothing better than ordinary taro-patch
mud, adding 200 pounds of Laysan Island
guano to the acre at planting. There
being no frost to kill the plant, it would
continue to bear until rust or continued
exposure to the weather hardened the
stalk and checked its growth.
In the neighborhood OF Spreckelsville
on Maui is capital soil for the growth OF
American cotton; and toward the sea
and around to Kahalui firmly believe
sea island cotton would flourish. A
little dry, perhaps, and the soil just at
that point is weak; but both of these
defects are easily remedied. But con-
sidering the matter IN all of its bearings,
the region bordering the waters OF
Koolau bay, on the east OF Koolau, i'm
presses me as being perfectly adapted to
llc CulblNdbiOil VI ilNi tOlbOil VI
both. At this point it could be produced
at less expense than elsewhere, the
rainfall being sufficient to promote the
development OF the stalk without irriga.
ton. In the dells, or bottoms, between
Heeia and Kualoa, or even Hauula, and
from Koolau range to the bay, ses
island cotton would grow to perfection
and on the fiat region near the sea
would plant Cells cluster cotton with a.
full hope OF bountiful harvest a.
though were depositing the little pur
pie seed in the gray soil around Bruins
wick, Georgia, or the black loan OF the
port. 1t is absurd to say cottol
will not grow in the Sandwich Islands
1t will grow almost anywhere, and TIN
choicest staples at that. There is
species of cotton Indigenous here, bear
ing the name Of the country and on tn
worlds list Of cottons as SUCH TIL
native cotton is good, is genuine, bu
the fiber has simply deteriorated throug
want of careful seeding and culture
Where one species of the cotton famil
will spring up and grow, all Others wi
flourish by cultivation. The history o
the plant and its nature places that con
sideration beyond question. Exceptin
the mountains NOTABLY tho tops of Tar
talus and Diamond Head, and fe,
spots of dry, crusty SOIL there is not
section of Oahu but may be made co
ton plantation in a short time; the sam
applies to Kauai, Maui and part {
Hawaii. The Hawaiian Islands nee
diversified industries. To be tied up
one, as at present with sugar, is uI
fortunate, and no one can tell at whs
time a country so situated may have il
one leg swept away by hostile legisli
ton, glutted markets or a dozen 9th,
things To have something to fall bac
upon is one half of the rule for Sc
preservation. Cotton may not, in Il
large dividends as sugar, if shipped to Il
United States; but its cultivation ca
be made largely profitable, being
much the crop of this country as cal
and rice, all three of which will gro
together between two lines about 80
and 81 drawn around the world.
Louisiana Though rice is flooded) can
rice and cotton grow from the identic
soil in the alluvial region of Sou
Carolina, including the low lands of Il
Pee Dee, Santee, Edisto and Savanna
rivers, where the finest rice of the wor
is grown, cotton is planted on the fla
and is found nearly as profitable as /
sea of yellow head covering the riv