The Hawaiian gazette., 1904-03-29
FORESTER
FOR MARCH
Tobacco Raising for
Hawaii Nei Is
Favored.

The March number OF the Hawaiian
Forester and Agriculturist contains
much of interest Among other thing
published in the number just published
are articles on Tobacco Experiments,
~. S. Forester Halls Report on Ha-
| waiian Forests Introduction of the
Brewer Blackbird,' Forester Hosmer'
Trip to Hawaii" Report Supt. For
estry to Board of Agr. and Forestry
Planting Seasons at Wahiawa, Oahu,
FLORIDA and the Cuban Treaty." "Cul-
tivaton of Tobacco"
NEED OF MORE BIRDS.
In the Forester is published an inter
esting letter from Byron o. Clark fav-
in the islands. He recommends that the
Brewer Blackbird be brought in and
says that it might destroy the leaf-hop-
per and other insects.
TOBACCO RAISING.
The Forester comments as follows on
the prospects for the successful cultiva-
ton of tobacco in Hawaii:
The experiments conducted by the u.
S. Experimental Station in Hamakua
are in part the result of the action of
the last Legislature in appropriating
funds to aid the Station in its expert
ments and diversified products. We
have every reason to believe, that I'M
der the intelligent superintendent OF
Director Jared G.. Smith and his AS
sistant, l.. Z. Confer, the latter having
this special experiment under his inn
mediate charge, it will be fully demon
strated within the next year that first
class grade of tobacco can be success
fully grown and prepared in these is
lands There is, however, always the
possibility that the particular locality
for the present experiment may not be
adapted to tobacco culture, or it may
be, perhaps, that its somewhat close
proximity to the sea may diminish to
more or less extent the quality or
grade of the tobacco raised there. This
remains to be seen, however, and in any
case we may rest assured that MIR.
Smith will surely avail himself of the
opportunities which will be presented to
him in the present experiment, and if
need be will make further experiments
at a later period in other sections of the
islands, In the meantime, our Agricul-
turists should not leave the matter of
experiments entirely the U. S. Expert
ment Station.
As there is no doubt but that soil and
climate have much to do with the sue
cessful raising of good tobacco, it is
advisable that experiments should not
be confined to one district alone, but
that others be inaugurated by some of
our Agricuturists and that these eX-
periments receive closest attention, so
that failure in securing the necessary
quality of leaf NAV be obviated. There
are interior valleys supplying good
alluvial soil which might be tried on
many of the islands, and if the proper
seed is selected, the planting out, cul-
tivation and curing is properly attended
to, there is every reason to believe that
the experiments will be successful. 1t
has been alleged that parts of the soil
of Cuba were alone suited to the produc-
ton of Havana tobacco, but with the eX-
cepton of few localities which produce
a particular flavor, this assertion is dis
proved, for. with good choice of seed
the proper soil and climate, together
with intelligent cultivation and curing OF
the leaf, equally good tobacco is now
being produced in other tropical coun-
tries. We understand that the u. S
Experimental Station has an abundant
supply OF the Sumatra and Havana
varieties OF seed and parties wishing tc
experiment might get limited quanti-
ty from the Director, by making proper
| application to him. 1t does not take
much seed to start the nursery as il is
very miuute-one ounce containing S75,'
600 seeds-and tablespoonful shoulC
produce at least 10000 plants. II prop,
erly handled tablespoonful of seed viii
SOW bed in the nursery 23 feet long
and feet wide, from which the plants
are afterwards transplanted. Let somt
of our larger land owners cooperate
with the Agriculturists, undertake intel
| ligent experiments on a small scale anc
demonstrate that the growth and prepar'
alton OF superior grade of tobacco car
be carried on advantageously in many
| sections OF these islands We must
however, caution our Agriculturists tina
haphazard experiments, which only re
suit in failure, will tend later on tc
| discourage others from branching out II
what may ultimately become a. new in
dustry for Hawai- 1t will never do foi
MS to give M until not only one, bn
many experiments, conducted intelli
gently in various section OF the islands
have fully demonstrated whether or no
we can secure the proper grade of TO
baceo and in such quantities that il MAJ
become a factor in home consumption
as well as in our export trade We'wisl
every success to the first experiment o
the u, ;. Experimental Station,
-
| No OTHER lINlMENI will heal ,