The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1903-03-06
POTATOES AND
CASTOR BEANS
Matters of Interest
to Farmers on
Islands.

has issued two bulletins that will be OF
Interest to farmers on all the Islands
The first of these deals with the pre-
liminary experiments made by Special
Agent J. q. Smith with the quick
blight OF the potato. In this the
agent says:
Irish potato growing was once an
important agricultural industry in Ha-
wall. During one year. 1000 barrels
were shipped from the country; but for
various reasons the industry became OF
minor Importance and Of late years
the local demand has been largely sup
piled by importations. The latest
source of encouragement TO the grower
Is disease which often wipes out
whole fields of potatoes In short time.
Nearly every island OF the group has
its infected districts kula, Kohala
Kona, Waimea and sections on Oahu.
This disease of the potato has been
confounded with the potato rot. but
they are entirely different both in the
cause and in their effect upon the plant.
Until a better name is given We shall
call it the quick blight
I'm March, 1902 experiments were be-
/ gun at Kula. Maui. to study
| the disease with the hope OF
finding "A remedy. The land chosen
was under the control Of Mrs. Randall
Won Tempsky, and was situated at an
elevation Of between $500 and 1000 feet.
THE plan of the experiment was to
test comparatively the resisting pow
er to the disease OF As imported varie-
ties OF potatoes. These were to be
planted under varied conditions-on
good soil partly protected from the
wind, on average soil dug to the depth
| of IL inches. and on average soil dug
to the depth in common practice in that
| locality. The As varieties OF potatoes
used In the experiment were: Northern
Beauty. Gem OF Aroostook, Early Har-
vest Early Northern. New Queen. The
Minister. Carman No. /, Green Noun
tain. Beauty of Hebron. Pearl of Savoy,
Black Christy. White Elephant. Dako-
ia Red, Early Rose, Early Fortune.
Early Six Weeks, I. X. L.. Pride OF the
South, The June, Acme. Bovee, Breck's
Chance, Burpee's Extra Early, Cam
bridge Russet, Early Ohio, Early Mich
| igan, Fillbasket, Honeoye Rose, Ham
mond's Wonderful, Irish Cobbler, Long
Keeper. Carman No. 3, Mills Banner.
| Mills Prize, Maul's Thoroughbred,
Manun's Enormous. Motifs Peach, Pro-
life Rose, Rural New Yorker No. 2, Sir
Walter Raleigh Stephens, Steuben,
Twentieth Century, Uncle Sam, and
| Wonderful Clay Rose.
1.-THE potatoes apparently grew well
until the early part of June when the
quick Blight made its appearance in
the leaves and stems. The crop was
harvested June %.
"The varieties that best withstood
the Quick Blight were The June, Hone
oye Rose, Maul's Thoroughbred and
Uncle Sam, and OF these The June re-
mahIed green after the others had sue
cumbed."
The second bulletin deals at length
with the growing of castor beans for
market. Concerning this crop the
special agent says:
THE castor bean plant feeds most
heavily upon phosphoric acid and pot
ash. In sterile soils, or in soils def
cient in these elements low grade fer
tilizers containing them can be profit
ably used
I'm Kona a crop OF beans can be har-
vested every thirty days. after the
plants commence to bear.
1.-THE commercial life OF the crop.
that Is the period during which 1t can
be proftably cultivated without re-
planting. on a good field, ranges from
five to seven years but during this per-
iod II must receive frequent cultivation
| cin
to obtain the best results
From data obtainable in these Isl
ands, the average crop from sea level.
up to an altitude OF from twelve to M
teen hundred feet. ranges from twenty
five hundred to three thousand pounds
per acre per annum. Individual trees
in the most favored localities. with
good soil and cultivation. and a fair
amount OF rainfall. have been known
to yield ms high as one hundred pounds
| of clean seed. However. from twenty
To twenty-five pounds per plant II the
average yield Of clean seed.
"The process Of manufacture Of the
| oil II quite complicated, and IL does not
pay the cultivntor 10 attempt, by him
self 10 extract the oil,
"fhe current prices for castor beans
or good quality range from $500 TO
900 per ton Ia the Honolulu market;
n price sufficient ~ yield u margin ~
prp1t both 10 the cultiyatOr and 20 the
manufacturer ~ the OH,
''rhe residue remaining after eNtrao-
Ion ~ the Oh from the oastor bean n
Itself product ~ some value Tor fer
iilller Analyses ~ this subfiano.
show mat the castor pomarr contains
On an average about = Dor cent nitro
gen, 2 per cent phosphorir acid ana I
per cent potash Tho seed pods and
pnd stems contain about 20 per cont
nitrogen ana 90 per cent potash"