The Hawaiian gazette., 1899-07-21
Valuable and Unique Exhibit 10
Be Forwarded.
PREPARED BY Or. MAXWELL
Under instructions From the Sc
cr-tary OF Agriculture
At Washington.

|
him by a representative of this paper
yesterday afternoon at the Hawaiian
Experiment Station DR.. Walter Max
we'll said:
"Yes, am preparing an exhibit for
the Paris Exposition of 1900. | re-
ceived a communication from the
Secretary of Agriculture at Washing
ton some two weeks since, asking me
to prepare a statement concerning the
Hawaiian Experiment Station and
scientific agricultural work in the ISL
ands; also asking me to forward any
small collections OF specimens rep
resenting the soils and products of the
Islands, 1t being the purpose of the
Agricultural Department to include
such Hawaiian collection in an ex-
hibition OF agricultural products to be
sent by the United States Department
of Agriculture to the Paris Exposition
next year"
| Are you permitted to make public
any OF the details?" was asked.
"Oh, yes" replied DR.. Maxwell. I'm
the first place am making a short
but succinct statement of the objects
Of the Experiment Station and the line
of work which is being carried out un-
der its auspices. For example, the
thorough study OF the different soils
Of the Hawaiian Islands and the rela-
ton of fertilization to the soils; also
the study of varieties of cane, and,
finally, an exhaustive study of the
great question Of economic irrigation,
which is really the foundation of our
agriculture"
Would it be too much to ask you
to give the Advertiser an idea of
what you are going to say on the mat
ter of soils?"
well. will just show you what |
am doing in the way Of small ex-
hibit and that will probably be the
best way OF telling you what ] am
going to say. In the first place am
sending samples Of Hawaiian lavas OF
different kinds, then specimens show
ling the ways in which the lavas be-
come decompOsed and resolved into
chemical bodies and the residual pro-
ducts, which are the soils"
Here DR.. Maxwell kindly showed the
reporter specimens of solid, normal
llavas, specimens of tufa lavas, speci-
mems showing the manner in which
the lavas in the first place were de-
composed by chemical action and re-
solved into many different products.
Among these several products we're:
, O Fine samples of alum, CD pure
gypsum, co bauxite. (D kaolin, 90
laterite. go silica, ca sample of crys-
talline sulphur, the chief agent in the
resolution of the lavas into their
, many products.
In addition to the above DR.. Max.
well Is also sending samples represent
ing the formation of iron ores found
by him on the Islands of Kauai and
, Oahu only; these samples contain sc
per cent oxide of iron. Again, remark
able specimen samples showing the
) process by which kaolin becomes sep
arated from the lava and is found In
, considerable deposits. The specimens
are both unique and valuable. One, in
particular, shows kaOlin much more
pure and white than the kaolins and
clays that are now being used in the
manufacture of Royal Worcester and
other chinas. DIR. Maxwell thinks
that the kaolins of these Islands may
have considerable commercial impOr-
lance In the near future when they be-
, come better known and appreciated
The bauxite deposits, which are
chiefly composed Of alumina and which
have been discovered here by DIR. Max
well, are in several instances richer
In aluminium than the same class OF
materials that are being used for the
manufacture of aluminium In Europe
and the United States today.
What samples of soil are you s4ld-
) ing, Doctor?" was the next query pro-
pounded.
II am sending typical samples of our
sedimentary soils, OF our blood-red
soils and OF our tufa soils"
Incidentally the writer noticed The
sedimentary soil was from Eva plan
tation and that DR.. Maxwell had
marked 1t Every fertile" The blood
red soil was from the McBryde plan
tatlon and was also marked Every fer
tile" The tufa soil sample was marked
Very poor soil" but the Doctor did
not say where II was from.
What else are you sending7" again
queried the scribe.
"Oh. many things. For instance
samples of certain varieties Of cane
tThese are all enclosed In glass cylin-
ders containing alcohol and hermeti-
cally sealed) Samples Of Hawaiian
cofrees, rice and sugar These are all
sealed In glass cylinders and are care
fully and plainly labeled"
, Incidentally DR., Maxwell let alp the
information that he had been request
al by the Secretary Of Agriculture a.
send with the exhibit copies ~ all nlf
publications which might help 10 en-
plain the exhibit 20 any who are IN