The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-01-12
AGRICULTURE
A Government Agent
is Here.
Represents Agricultural Department,
and viii Investigate the Re-
sources Of the Islands.

c. +. Saylor of Des Moines. Ia, spe-
cial agent of the Agricultural Depart
ment at Washington, is taking a
forced vacation at the Hawaiian Hotel
during the quarantining Of the port
and the somewhat unsettled state Of
business generally He came to Ho-
roIulu the other day on the steamer J
Mariposa for the purpose of making
thorough investigation Of the resources
Of the Islands, the purpose being to as
certain to what uses the various soils
and conditions here may be most prof
itably devoted.
/ Il came with the intention OF re-
naming until March," said Mr.. Sayl0r
I yesterday to an Advertiser reporter. /
but If | cannot get out 70 look over f.
he Islands l shall probably endeayor /
TO get back 10 the Coast. The prospect
OF employing myself here for the next
several weeks is not at present very
promising. Still, it is interesting to
see Honolulu, and though | should not
have come at this time had / known
of the existence of the plague, ! Will
, make the best of it. The morning
left San Francisco / bought a newspa-
per and carried il under my arm down
TO the steamer. When the MaripOsa
had got fairly under way i settled
down to read the news. The article on
the plague at Honolulu first attracted
my attention, and il was not particu-
larly good reading. | wanted to re-
main in San Francisco then, but had
to satisfy myself with taking a farewell
look at the fading shore.
Secretary Wilson of the Agricultur-
, IL Department has asked Congress 70
make an appropriation for an expert
mental station here, and the money
will no doubt be available in due time.
Each State Is allowed $4,000 for this
purpose. The success OF the stations In
many States has drawn the attention
I of bureaus in Europe, whose represent
atives, sent to the United States TO in
yestigate their usefulness, have with
out exception declared the stations to
) be invaluable in causing undeve.oped
resources to be taken up and made
; profitable. One of these experimental
) stations Secretary Wilson will. with
? the approval of Congress. establish
2 here. The Islands are pretty well
{ understood to be well adapted 10 sugar
= production. but the industry would
: naturally be the subject of investiga-
lion. with a view of improving meth
!, DDS in use, II that is possible. More
particular attention would, however,
be given to the undevelOped resources
Of the group of Islands. This feature
/. of the DepaItment's work is one or the
;. strongest points in Secretary Wilson
& administration. He sent a man into
The steppes of Russia and Sweden Ia
make large collections Of seeds, plants
g and cuttings grown I'm that extremely
[. arid region, and which through Ions
p centuries had established the habit OF
growing in barren regions. His pur'
rose is to find among this large col
? lection at least a few plants Wnicl
- might be grown here and in otnel
: parts Of United States territory witt
8 profit. That would come within TIT
& scope of an experimental station.
& Last winter / spent in Puerto Ric'
: and Cuba. Those islands have hat
Z practically the same Industrial hlstor,
s that has been followed out here. Her
6 slgar has been the one idea, becaus
- II has been found to be the most prof.
liable business. In Puerto Rico an
= Cuba the people have been rather NOR
= conservative. having more diverslhe
. crops. such as coffee, sugar, tobacco
=, etc. FOREIGNERS have also shown thel
= that chocolate, vanilla and cocoa ca
: be profitably grown there, and the az
mand in the United States is strong fC
3 those products which do not come I'M
g connection with the same things fro
Il other parts OF the country. ProDaD.
Is nothing can take the place OF sugar
3 the Hawaiian Islands. but still tnel
B are lands here which can no doubt
3 nut to good use in growing Oth
crops. In Puerto Rico the coffee plai
tations extend right over the mouI
4 tains and TO a large extent 1t IS the san
9 with tobacco. / understand the toDa
2 co grown here is not of fine quaint
Int that same impression has preval.'
& in other places where later and mo
- accurate knowledge has developed q
. fact that a superior article OF tODac
z can be grown. The industry Deepen
& largely upon the system OF curing Al
& the methods used in growing, ana I
z General conditions prevailing.
- Il am very anxious TO make q tnl
. ou-b insuection Of the Islands, but u
everybody so absorbed in the suoJ'
Of the plague that ] do not see my "
- clear to doing much. But | hone
= situation may clear up soon. Ia"
- must lie an interesting field 70 one ot
- nv, "a mission such as calls me hille