Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1905-05-22


ricultural Experiment Stations. DR.
Evans is IN Honolulu on n visit of in.
spection to the local experiment sta.
ton and government agricultural work
in the Territory. Talking to re
porter for the Evening Bulletin at the
Moana Hotel last night Mr.. Evans fore
told time that may not I've far in the
future when the small aud weaker SUI
gar plantations cannot profitabiy pro.
duce sugar at the low price he thinks
IL coming.
The causes that may bring about
this result, according to Mr.. Evans,
are to be found in the present tire.
mendous increase In sugar production,
and a certain future increase. in the
United States, Cuba. Porto Rico, and
perhaps the Philippines. The in.
crease in the consumption of sugar
during the past few years." says Mr..
Evans, has been great, much greater
than any one expected, but 1t can.
rot keep pace with the increase in
production that now looks sure. In
the United States immense areas are
being given over to the cultivation of
the sugar beet, with a very high per
cent of sugar. In Cuba and Porto
Rico the production is greatly increas.
ing. expect to see q decisive drop
in sugar prices. When that time
comes. ! believe some of the weaker
plantations here that hardly make
money with five.cent sugar, cannot
keep up when II drops to four or three
cents. When will that time come? Oh.
! cant say; no one can tell; but be.
lieve il is coming"
Mr.. Evans in his official capacity as
chief of the lnsular Division, has gen.
eral charge of the agricultural expert
ment stations in Hawaii. Porto Rico.
and Alaska. About once in two or
three years he either visits these sta.
tons in person or has the special
agents in charge come to his headQuar.
tiers at Washington, ID. c., and report
the work done at their stations. Also
It is his duty to audit the accounts OF
the various stations of the Rocky
Mountain and Pacific Coast States.
During the past several months he has
been carrying this out in New Mexico,
Arizona, Colorado, Wyoming. Nevada,
Utah, California, etc. Being on tho
coast, he took the opportunity to come
10 Hawaii and inspect the local sta.
ton.
Frankly, | am sorry the station is
at its present location" said Mr..
Evans. THE location is q poor one
for experimental purposes. In fact It
is so unfavorable that we will probably
use 1t only as for Offices and labora.
tory work. We intend to carry on the
agricultural work in localities better
suited to our purposes. We shall prob
ably do this through corporations own.
ing suitable land. The station will
furnish the seed or plants and direc.
tons and the land owners the labor,
as we are doing now with tobacco in
Hamakua. Where 1t is necessary we
will also furnish skilled labor. experts
along the particular line. This con.
Germs the tobacco industry especially,
for the curing and fermenting of this
Is as important as the growing. By
this plan we will be enabled to broad.
en- our field greatly and experiment
with a much larger variety than we
can at the present station. Yet | think
considering its limitations the sta.
tion here has done very well indeed.
"Of course 1t has been handicapped
by having to start from the ground up,
clearing off land, erecting buildings.
and getting the pioneer work into
shape. The station needs greatly a
better water supply. intend to try
for an appropriation for a reservoir,
SO the lower part of the site can be
well watered."
DR.. Evans is inclined to the theory
that Hawaii's rice industry could be
bettered by the introduction of ma
ehinery. 1.-THE great new areas now
under cultivation Tor rice in Texas"
he says, ARE plowed and planted by
machinery. 1t is big saving over
the hand method employed here. and
enables the planter to cover much
more ground. But in Texas rice land
may be bought outright for 81 an acre
and | understand here II often rents
for $40. That works against the Ha.
wa!ian industry. But | think machin.
ary would help solve the problem.
THE coffee industry here has not
made the strides it should have. Now
Porto Rican coffee is extensively ad-
vertised in the United States. The
Porto Rican planters have pushed tho
product persistently into public notice.
Many people don't know good coffee
from poor coffee, and spoil the fine
grades by boiling too long. The Porto
Rican coffee is well advertised and the
advertisers give directions, even send
out men to show how the beverage
should be made. The consequence is
IL Is well known In the United States.
] know a number of influential men
In Washington who insist on having
Porto Rican coffee because they have
learned to like 1t. On the other hand,
Kona coffee is not known east of the
Pacific coast. Little effort seems made
to advertise 1t. That is something tho
producers should change II they wish
to make the industry a profitable one"
I'VE hear cry for protective ia.
rin on coffee" suggested the reporter.