The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1899-01-27
HAWAIIAN SUGAR IS SAFE.
NOTHING TO FEAR FROM BEETs
OR CUBA.
Results of the Investigations of the
Department of Agriculture Through
L. A. Knapp, Special Commissioner

"The Hawaiian sugar interests have
nothing to fear. You have the finest
conditions here for cane sugar there
are in the world. Physical conditions
are better in many respects than they
are even in Cuba. While the industri-
al and social conditions are such there
as will for many years more then off
set her proximity to market. And long
before those conditions are overcome
the construction of the Nicaragua ca
nal will have brought you close to your
market by doing away with the long
continental haul by rail.
THE Philippines are distant from
market and they too, have to contend
with social and industrial conditions
that connot be materially bettered for
a long time, and their physical condi-
tions are no better, if as good as are
yours"
1t was in this way that S. A. Knapp
the special commissioner of the depart
ment of agriculture, and himself an
experienced Louisiana sugar planter,
summed up the results of his investi-
cations and observations ON the su-
gar question. He was sent to Japan,
China and the Philippines several
months ago and is returning on the
Coptic.
II was sent" he said, with instruc-
tions to buy anything in the way of
rice or sugar seed, material or plants,
that / thought would be of advantage
to those industries in the United
States, and to report on conditions and
outlook Perhaps the scope of my
work was a little broader than that.
but so far as the public is concerned
that is the pith of it My observations
have led me to this conclusion: The
cane sugar industry in the regions
where conditions are suited to it, can
! hn1 ifc inG no in
dustry where conditions are suited to
! it. Louisiana, as a great sugar pro-
ducing factor is doomed. Our short
season and our danger from frost put
us out of the race with more favorable
! regions. You have here perhaps the
most favorable conditions in the world.
I'm the Philippines there are large
| areas of land suitable for sugar. Phy-
sical conditions there are good, but not
! better than, If as good as yours. While
| her distance from market must al
ways be a handicap. Methods there
are crude and unscientific. To begin
with cultivation, their methods are
! primitive and rude, so that the crops
| of cane are relatively small. Their
methods of manufacture are crude.
Small OK mills that do not get out half
the saccharine matter are used. Prac-
tically no processes of Qualification be-
yond little time to neutralize the
4 acid in the juice are used. The boiling
is done in pans usually with a metal
bottom and wooden sides. From the
| pans it goes into earthenware jars or
crooks with capacity of about 1870
pounds, called Phones. These have a
small hole in the bottom which is COW
cred with bamboo mat. The molas-
| ses drains off through this. The re-
suit is that the top third of the sugar
in the Phone has the quality of a very
| poor grade of brown sugar. The mid
die third is sticky and dirty. while the
bottom third has the color and consist
ency of tar. The price that can be got
for this stuff is from a third to half
! of what it ought to bring"