The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1900-08-14

dustry 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 liz
perhaps leading the sugar cane world
In its improved methods. II 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 1862 cites the product for the
Islands. per acre, as one ton of sugar.
made upon creakng wooden mills,
propelled by water or horsepower and
evaporated In kettles. The centrifugal
was introduced year or two later.
Compare this with one OF your up-to-
date estates of today--growing 80 to
100 tons of cane per acre. crushing with
nine ponderous rollers prefaced by an
enormous crusher, clarifying with SUI
perheated steam, eyaporating In quad
ruIle effects. cooking to grain In IA
to 16-foot pans. and centrifugalling in
n battery OF ten or more Weston and
Hepworths machines. yielding over
ten tons Of sugar per acre.
HAWAII THE CENTER.
Truly these Hawaiian Islands have
become the center of maximum pro-
uutlloU ol SuEhT OF lne WORTH, anu
several OF your plantations stand as
the keystone to this magnificent su-
gar arch which spans these Islands.
The sugar industry is supported by
three principal scientific pillars-ag-
riCulture, mechanics and chemistry.
The cane must first he grown ere 1t
can be manufactured. The soil, wa
ter, fertilizers, sunshine and heat all
combine to give canes large In tom
mage and rich i'm saccharine matter.
Three fundamental principles underlie
all successful agriculture-first,
knowledge of the composition OF the
soil; second, the requirements of the
plants which are cultivated, and third,
the application OF fertil 2ers 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 sine qua
non" for large yields. 1t 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
expert agricultural chemist.
COMPLIMENTS MAXWELL.
Just here permit me to speak Of the
inestimal lie 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 "Lavas 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
TABLE information relative to the disin-
tegration of basaltic lavas. Such n
work Is not only n valuable contribu-
ton to local agriculture and general
science, but must stand forever as
monument to the genius, patience and
intelligence of its distinguished au-
thor.
Having determined the character
and composition of your soils. II is only
necessary to know the requirements
or the plant to be grown. to prescribe
the fertilizer both in quality and
quantity to be used. Just here comes
In the valuable assistance which chem
ical science renders to agriculture.
Formerly commercial fertilizers We're
prepared to suit all crops, and all
soils, and were not esteemed valuable
unless they constantly appealed to the
nasal organs with repulsiYe odors.
Gov. Toombs. IN advocating the pas
sage of a fertilizer law through the
Leg stature of Georgia. many years
ago, said that he could drag pole
cat through IL pile or sand and there
was not farmer in the State that
could tell ii from the best fertilizer on
the market. Today the chemist. by
passage through the bcaker and Cruc-
ible, can tell its constituents. and.
knowing the wants OF the plant and the
lptipinnGipp M hn tl.,
the kinds and proportions of the in
gradients which must be used so
universal has become the confidence
OF the farmer and p anter 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 are
without technical training, AMI though
possessed of high administrative and
financial ability, they are entirely ig-
norant of the laws of nature which
control plant growth.
AS a result of the good work accom-
plished by procuring the proper ferti-
Hers for different soils, after their
chemical and physical properties were
known, | may recall the comparative
yields of your lslands-in '95, three
tons per acre. and in 80. four and one
half tons per acre.
Irrigation has transformed yum arid
deserts into fertile fields, which yield
you bounteous harvests. But excess
sIve irrigation may he almost as de-
structive to plant growth as an alb
sence Of water. Pumping water from
great depths with costly machinery,
using high-priced coal, involves such
heavy expenditure OF money as to
require special study on the economy
OF IT'S use From Dr. MaXwel's eN-
poriments | find that 500 to 9n1 pounds
of water TO one pound OF sugar grown
!s ample, yet many plantations use
twice or three and even up to seven
times this quantity, Known laws OF
phys cs, both In regard to the capac-
ity or soils for water and evaporation,
should guide us in the application OF
water by so doing continuous nltrln-
cation viii take place, and the plants
supplied with abundant food, provided