The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-11-21
REPORT ON FERTILIZATION
By c. F. Eckart.

OF the Hawaiian Sugar Planters Association comprised G
and James Webster - 49,
-. his subject has been dealt fully by
the past who have considered only the great
Versy OF practices in the various districts
nave also presented statistics covering the nature amounts
ana values OF fertizng materials the Hawaiian
Islands that little remains be point pres
ent time IN view Of the material changes in meth
Gus nave been effected during the past year the
annual meeting OF the Association expressed
Dy several plantation managers that considerable
VI money was beng expended annually for fertilizers by the
plantations which returned through yields
OF sugar and that in their opinion the quantities ferlizing
could IN many instances be decreased with consid-
cradle saving number of theories
reasons tor the shown crop the
osy appcato OF chemical fertilizers and considerable
measure OF responsibility placed upon
fungus enemies in the field When consider that
9zooooo IS spent annually IN the attempt only main
tam but IN instances productveness of
the cane lands of the Territory importance giving
statements our careful consideration fully brought home
to
While there is question that, the long profits
OF plantation be materially increased through the
!udlelous OF feizng material there is also little doubt
but what during certain benefits derived and
the money expended in this loss The
reasons for this may be briefly summarized follows:
The health and vigor of the sugar the of
all plants influenced by conditions OF soil and climate Under
climate must be dered the humidity of the
Winds the and distribution of the RAINFALL
the relative number sunshiny and cloudy days Under
dtl3ns OF soil come exposure depth drainage and the
each type Of soil there certain conditions only
in the soil but also as regards climate as well for the maxi
production of given character.
for each kind OF climate there be types SOIL subjected
the influences of the same which permit variation in
the yields following cropping For instance, thin sandy
soil deficient organic matter will give larger yields OF
districts during where the rainfall reg
larry distributed than where the OF falls
longer intervals Again in very wet districts soils which
readily drained yield larger sugar per
than where the soils retentve of larger
degree Each condition of soil and climate bears certain
relationship the where the
of any soil type there prevails during the OF
crop period adjustment of these influences
which nearly meets the requirements OF the
for maximum development maximum yields necessarily fol-
low With the modification of of the factors
in question: the result OF seasonal soil variations,
adjustment of the influences naturally becomes
essay for the maintenance of greatest growth For example,
certain decrease in the humidity OF the increases the
evaporation of moisture from the cane leaves and from the
increase in rainfall properly distributed is concident with
this change the growth of the plant suffers certain check
This modification of the of held by unit
only influences the evapor-
ated from the soil and leaf surface but indirectly upon
to the plant. The quantity of the soil S
and conditions dependent the supply of soil
engaged in the breaking down of the complex organic
into simpler compounds for the OF the
conditions favorable for the fuilment
;t4 a !; dn;b u rb di+; ne
the supplies Of naturally ntrates also that
less of the bases such lime magnesia which
their composition dissolved in the soil Other
changes produced by modification of the humidity condi-
could be cited show the intimate relationship
ing among many soil and climatic influences which
crop yields but enough has doubtless been said fully
illustrate point Now since of the many
bearing upon crop production nearly vary
siderable degree during different while other in
altered counterbalance the changes taking
place the result naturally manifested the huc1aton
It is apparent that through the fertilizers
onlv few of conditions affecting the growth of
cane crop can to certain be modified By placing
in the land plant materials the natural supplies of which
are insufficient permit the thrifty growth of the plant
gratifying esutsn the way yields obtained
providing the many of SOIL other than that repre-
scented by chemical composition, and the state of the
weather do restraining influence Excessively
wet weather drought, low temperatures, high Winds soil
acditv poor drainage bad tih and OF other
including the of insect and fungus attacks may limit
the Growth of cane such that the supplies Of
anf food naturally existing in the soil sufficient
all requirements. Increasing the quantities OF nitrogen,
otasb Dhosphoric acid lime, etc, in such would
e1t in anv appreciabe benefit the which they
with the ameloration of conditions sub
nent crops might derive advantage from the
unfavorable influences prevailing dur
ron period WELD which negative
TO the use of fertilizers during that PERIOD the belief
always be effected through
ertizng practices. Nothing would
l greater backward step the agriculture OF the
e than the practical application OF such theory