The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1900-08-14


custry on earth mas made such mar
vellous strides. In my own State this
march Of progress has been by leaps
and bounds" until today II can be said
without arrogance, that Louisiana is
perhaps leading the sugar cane world
In It's improved methods. ~ far behind
you In your acre products.
You too have made wonderful prog
ress. A report upon sugar made to
the Royal Hawaiian Agricultural So
ciety. In 1859. cites the product for the
Islands, per acre, as one ton OF sugar,
made upon creak!ng wooden mills,
propelled by water or horse power and
evaporated In kettles. The centrifugal
was introduced a year or two later
Compare this with one of your up-to-
date estates OF today-growing 50 to
100 tons OF cane per acre. crushing with
nine ponderous rollers prefaced by an
enormous crusher. clarifying with su-
perheated steam. evaporating In quad
rTTie effects. cooking to grain In IA
10 i6-foot pans, and centrifugalling in
battery OF ten or more Weston and
Hepworths machines, yielding over
ten tons ot sugar per acre.
HAWAII THE CENTER.
Truly these Hawaiian Islands have
become the center Of maximum pro-
duction OF sugar OF the world. and
several Of your plantations stand as
the keystone to this magnificent SUI
gar arch which spans these Islands.
The sugar Industry ls supported by
three principal scientific pillars-ag-
riculture. mechanics and chemistry.
The cane must first be grown ere II
can be manufactured The soil. wa
ter. fertilizers. sunshine and heat all
ccmbine 20 give canes large IN ton
mage and rich In saccharine matter.
Three fundamental principles underlie
all successful agriculture-first, a
knowledge OF the composition of the
soil; second. the requirements OF the
plants which are cultivated, and third.
the application Of fertilizers In proper
proportions and quantities to meet the
needs Of the latter when grown upon
the former. Under the head OF ferti-
lizers must be included water. which,
especially for cane, Is the "slne qua
non" for large yields. IL is most
desirable that the cultivator should
know the composition of his soils and
the availability Of the elements. This
can only be determined by a trained
eApert agricultural chemist.
COMPLIMENTS MAXWELL.
Just here permit me to speak of the
inestimahle benefits TO the planters OF
these Islands. and the valuable contri-
button to the science OF chemistry and
geology Of the very exhaustive report
on Laws and Soils recently issued
by your able director. These investi-
cations not only serve for all time to
come. for your guidance IN the treat
ment OF your soils. but furnish to the
chemist and geologist everywhere val
BILE Information relative TO the disin-
tegration OF basaltic lavas. Such
work IL not only n valuable contribu-
ton to local agriculture and general
science. but must stand forever as n
monument 20 the genius. patience and
intelligence OF its distinguished au-
thor
Having determined the character
and composition Of your soils. u In only
necessary to know the requirements
OF the plant TO be grown. to prescribe
the fertilizer both In quality and
| quantity 10 be used. Just here comes
I IN the valuable assistance which chem
ical science renders to agriculture.
Formerly commercial fertilizers were
prepared 20 suit all crops. and all
soils. and were not esteemed valuable
Unless they constantly appealed to the
nasal organs with repulsive odors.
Gov. Toombs, In advocating the pas
sage Of n fertilizer law through the
| Legislature Of Georgia, many years
ago. said that he could drag n pole
eat through a pile Of sand and there
was not n farmer In the state that
I could tell n from the best fertilizer on
the market. Today the chemist, by
passage through the beaker and cruc-
ible. can tell its constituents, and.
knowing the wants Of the plant and the
deficiencies Of the soil. can prescribe
the kinds and proportions OF the in
| gradients which must be used. so
universal has become the confidence
OF the farmer and planter In chemical
analysis, that States have established
laws Inspecting and controlling the
sale OF fertilizer. Advanced farmers
OF today rely entirely upon the advice
Of expert chemists as to the quality
and quantity Of the fertilizers they
use. and scorn with righteous indig-
ration the advice so freely proffered
by manufacturers.
EXPERTS NECESSARY.
Just here may remark the neces.
sity OF managers of plantations being
guided by experts. since they ars
without technical training. AMI though
possessed Of high administrative and
financial ability. they are entirely L.
norant OF the laws OF nature which
control plant growth.
As a result OF the good work accom-
plished by procuring the proper ferti
lIzers for different soils. after thei
J chemical and physical properties wer
known. I may recall the comparative
yields OF your Islands-iH 30. thre
tons per acre. and In 70. four and one
half tons per acre.
Irritation has transformed your art
deserts into fertile fields. which yiel
you bounteous harvests. But exces
? sive irrigation may be almost as de
2 structive TO plant growth as an All
q sence of water. Pumping water fror
. great depths with costly machinery
using high-priced coal. involves sue
n heavy expenditure Of money as
. require special study on the econom
= Of its use. From Dr. Maxwelrs es
r Teriments find that 500 to 800 pound
OF water 90 one pound Of sugar grow
r. ample. yet many plantations US
twice or three and even up to seve
times this quantity. Known laws