The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1895-02-13
SUGAR CANE ON UNION ISLAND.
Excellent Prospects for the Sugar
Industry in California.
Report from the Experimental station
Cane AttaInS Height OF Seven
Feet Since Last March.

WASHINGTON, Jan. pa report
has been received at the Agricultural
Department here from Superintend-
emit WixOm, in charge Of the sugar
experiment station on the Sacramento
river, near Stockton, giving an ac-
count of the work at that station dur
ing the past year.
The crops experimental with were
sugar-cane, fax, rice and sugar beets.
Superintendent Wixom states that
nothing was planted until late in
March, but in spite of the lateness of
the season sugar cane attained a
height of seven feet, and that the
stoolinR of the stalks was remarkable,
in one case over fifty being reported
from single stalks. The cane was
matured enough to serve as seed, but
did not have q season of sufficient
length to mature a large amount of
sugar. II the cane had been planted
earlier there would have been q good
crop of seed. The sugar beets, Super
intendent Wixom states, made a
spendid showing. The beets aver
aged about II pounds in weight, and
contained over IA per cent. Of sugar.
Professor Wiley, who Is in charge of
the sugar experiment stations Of the
country, said today that he was afraid
that early frosts would prevent the
raising OF sugar-cane In the vicinity of
the experiment station in California,
but the results Of last year have con-
WINGED him that cane can be grown
there as easily as in Louisiana and
with as much profit. Last year the
first frost at the experiment station
was on December 18th, which was
about a month later than was antici-
pated.
The fax which was planted last of
May made fair crop. The rice which
was planted was supposed to be up
land rice, and growing without irriga-
ton. It proved to be of the other
variety, however, and, not being irri-
gated, the crop was somewhat of
failure. Professor Wiley states that
the crop which will grow this year
will furnish q large amount of seed,
which can not only be used on the
station, but distributed to neighboring
farmers. In this way the industry
will be encouraged in that section Of
the country, and IL such crops can be
successfully cultivated, as Professor
Wiley says they can, the raising of
sugarcane, sugar beets and rice will
soon supplant improbable farming,
which has been carried on in this sec
ton for the past few years. He thinks
that If this new industry is prosecuted
with vigor, every prospect is favor
able to the development Of new agri-
cultural interests in these valleys. 1t
was intended to send q carload of seed
from the station in Florida to the
California station, but the late freeze
destroyed all the Florida plants. Pro
fessor Wiley believes that the Califor-
mia station will soon be supplying the
Florida station with seed.
Appended TO the report Of Superin-
tendent Wixom is letter from Mr..
Center, Claus Spreckels' superintend-
ent on the Hawaiian Islands, who
made personal visit to this expert
ment station, and WAS exceedingly
pleased with the results that had been
accomplished. He was much sur
prised at stools seven feet high and at
the immense fertility of the soil of
that region. He offered to get some
seed from the Hawaiian Islands of
early maturing cane, which would,
perhaps, give better results than the
kind Of seed now in use, and his offer
was accepted. Professor Wiley says
that il this experiment farm does not
not develop a great sugar industry in
this part of California he will be very
much surprised.