The Hawaiian gazette., 1904-11-04
A WORD WITH MR. ATHERToN.


In discussing Mr.. Athertons second
lftter from Kula. this paper VIII begin
by saying again that it does not urge
for these islands the agriculture OF the
North Temperate Zone. except as a
side issue. The farmer may raise dairy
products, forage, poultry, cattle, sheep
hogs, vegetables and honey for his own
support while growing tropical prod
nets for sale, but he cannot usually
put his whole reliance on them as the
people seem to do In Kula. There is
but one chance. AS rule the tropical
planter with capital will prefer to buy
Ibis northern staples of farmers living
at higher altitude; and in such a
condition is Kula's best hope. For in
stance, II the available tropical dis
tricts below that locality were filled
| up with people raising tobacco, vanilla,
sisal. pineapples, alligator pears, wine
grapes, fancy bananas, etc, Kula 1t
self, If intelligently titled, ought to
thrive. But it cannot hope to send its
commodities to Honolulu in competition
with our own market-g gardeners and
the importers of California staples. The
Advertiser has never advocated any
such course
In describing the difficulties which
Kula farmers have to contend with Mr..
Atherton says that to save young corn
and potatoes from insects the shoots
have to be sprinkled with flour and
Iparis green. But so with potatoes in
1the Eastern States where, after all this
trouble, they are sold at retail as low
1,a1 t.,
States corn is similarly treated, but no
Farmer gives up his task on that ac-
count. Such pests as affect northern
farming in Kula are not worth mem
|tioning besides those which attack the
EARNING in New York. Massachusetts
land other States. There are 1900 known
agricultural pests on the continent of
North America, principally blights.
Grows, many varieties of song birds,
feathered game, raccoons rabbits,
hawks, squirrels, chipmunks, wood
{chucks, weasels, foxes, potato bugs,
grasshoppers, army worms, slugs, rust,
cut-worms, beetles, fruit tree worms,
etc. are but a few of the varied and
active ravagers of the northern crops;
and in his pioneer days the farmer had
TO contend with many other kinds, in
cluding deer, bear and wildcats. But
he stuck to his job and is now the chief
producer of American wealth. Forum
htely he did not have a community of
knockers to discourage him.
Now as to the actual trouble with
kula where, in years past, even drouth
pr too much rain did not spoil the
harvest! Farmers who know their
business and have been there, say that
he tillers of the soil in Kula are ignor-
amt of their trade. They do not I'M
herstand so simple a thing as rotation
pf crops; they plant potatoes where
hey have always planted them and
corn on land where successive crops
bf the same kind have exhausted the
orn-prouucing elements in the soil. OF
proper fertilization and soil analysis
hey have no idea. What they suffer
rom is not SO much the pests as their
Iwn crude ways of agriculture
We contend that in no part of Hawai-
ire half the draw backs that exist in
he richest agricultural regions of
bouthern California. There n soil of
mixed sand, alkali and adobe is subject
% seven months of actual drouth and
% five months of semi-drouth--a place
where ten inches of rain per annum is
eemed bountiful In that region crops
ave to be defended with tight fences
rom rabbits; gophers abound; the dove
nd quail are always busy in the
elds; cutworms and grasshoppers and
vild fowl are myriad; water for irriga-
ion costs large sums; there is also n
transportation trust and a labor prob
tm. Yet Southern California today is
3gich agricultural domain because its
pe0ple, never discouraged, full OF
km6rican grit and pluck and knowl-
dge \of their business. have made it So
my practical, educated farmer. look
ng over Hawaii, knows it to be full of
potential agricultural wealth Sisal is
making millions for Yucatan: as good
isal grows here as there. Wine grapes
re making millions for France, Ger
many and California; as good wine
rapes grow here as there. Tobacco Is
making Cuba rich and Sumatra and the
Philippines prosperous; our tobacco,
scientifically produced, IL highly com-
lnended by the Federal Experiment
fation. We are exporting pineappes
End bananas now; vanilla is proving its
lyay; our coffee Is getting reputation
nbber, eaeao and dates are now grown
N private grounds, We produce cotton
. gardens. Millions piled on millions
re waiting under the lantana and
.uaya roots for the intelligent and per.
istent energy which viii send them I,
ne mint What are We doing 10 mate
laiize themY Little indeed, Somebody
ses cut worm or Japanese beetl,
nd shrieks the news 10 the auth0rltir'
no shake their heads doubtWlly "a
iey once dld over sugar zane ana ruu
ude not Go encourage any farmers q
,ne iesi the cut worm or the boeli
arm them also
s -
The neal lime the sherG should aenl
sianilsa Halter up pa ihe WNanA
lnas 90 watch fef iha HleamrH lafa