Evening journal., 1903-02-24
CHANCES FOR FARMERS
IN HAWAIIAN ISLANDS
Over One Million Acres to
be Thrown Open to
Settlers

100000 acres of government land in
the territory, though only half Of it is
unoecupied and not all of the remain
der is available for agricultural pur-a
poses. These public lands belong to the
local and not to the United States gov
ernment.
Several attempts have been made to
place these great areas under the SUI
pervislon Of the Washington authori-
ties, but the opposition on the part of
the islands has prevented this, it being
held that the national land laws could
not be put into force without causing
great injury to present residents. The
land laws of the territory are even
more liberal than those Of the United
States, however, and under the order
just promulgated lands can be taken
up by any citizen of the country,
whether having a residence in Hawaii
or not.
Everything will grow in Hawaii.
Though sugar is the staple Of the is
lands, every product OF every state in
the Union, north and south, is under
cultivation there, and crops are raised
which cannot be duplicated in any 9TH
er country. Excepting in the sugar in
dustry there is plenty of room for
American farmers with modern meth
DDS, and even in the cultivation of
sugar there is much money to be made
in growing the cane ON a profit sharing
| basis.
The bulk of the farms Of the islands
are at present in the hands of Portu-
guese, Chinese and japanese. Their
methods Of farming are of the crudest.
On the island Of Maur three and four
crops of potatoes and corn are raised
every year, yet the hoe and the shovel
are the only farming implements in
use. Jared G.. Smith, United States
agent in charge of the agricultural sta
ton, has just ordered a corn planter a
cultivator and a corn cutter. Expert
ments are now to be made with fer
tilizers and rotation of crops in an en-
deavor to teach the natives improved
methods of farming.
Hawaii is the most fertile of the is
lands and, being the largest, has the
greatest quantity Of farm lands which
are ready to be opened to settlers from
the States if they desire to come.
Cabbage grows the year round and to
an enormous size, caulihower can be
marketed three times a year, parsnips,
parsley, artichokes and celery grow to
a fine size and are of the finest quail
ity. All garden vegetables do well, and
two to four crops year is the rule.
Strawberries are on sale in Honolulu
for the entire year, and olives, hgs and
all sorts of fruits grow in profusion.
In spite OF the fertility Of the soil
and the ease with which vegetables
and fruits can be cultivated. nearly all
these things are imported from Cali
fornia, and little of the local produce
finds its way into the cities. The rea-
son for this is the high freight rates
between the islands themselves, which
it has been suggested can be remedied
with the aid of the government.
Dairying and chicken raising are 9th
er profitable uses to which the home
stead lands could be put Nearly all
the butter is imported from the east,
as well as poultry and meats. A few
big ranches in Hawaii are making
enormous profits. There are many
pests to contend with in Hawaii, but
the farmers seem to combat them sue
!, cessfully.
Z The territorial land laws are extreme
: ly liberal. Homestead leases are given
!, for 900 years, but application must first
be made in writing. A home must be
, maintained on the land and a small
percentage cultivated. The land is d.
, vided into first class agricultural, sec
/, ond class agricultural, wet land, first
class pastoral, second class pastoral
? and pastoral agricultural land. No pay
ment is required excepting a two dollar
application fee. Lands are leased also
with a right to purchase clause at a
nominal figure. The purchaser is given
twenty-one years to make the purchase
Then there are cash freeholds and cash
sales lands which can be purchased
outright at a merely nominal figure.
Eggs Sell the year around in Honolu-
la from 80 to 60 cents a dozen; butter
is thought to be cheap at 40 to 90 cents
pound. Chickens bring from 81 to
y dpltcer anu JUL anu pOIh sen All tue
way from 10 to 35 cents a pound. Gel
cry is % cents a bunch, cabbage 10
cents a pound, potatoes and onions 8
and 4 cents a pound, apples 10 and Is
cents a pound and other fruits in like
proportion.
Corn, oats and stock food are always
high, and there is a ready market for
| all these things