The Hawaiian gazette., 1905-04-21
HAWA||'S
TOBACCO
Jared Smiths Data is
Given to the
Solons.

Jared G. Smith, Special Agent in
charge of the Hawaii Agricultural Ex-
pertinent Station. forwarded yesterday
to each Senator and Representative of
1he legislature copies of Press Bulletin
No. u. covering the tobacco expert
ments in Hamakua, Hawaii. The bull
Eetin goes into details, the whole re-
port covering "a pages. In his intro
auction. Jared Smith says:
In the autumn of 1903. cooperative
experiment was arranged under the
joint auspices of the Territorial Board
of Commissioners of Agriculture and
Forestry and the Hawaii Agricultural
Experiment Station for the purpose of
demonstrating the practicability of
growing the best grades of cigar tobac-
GO in Hawaii.
An examination of sites was made by
Mr.. F. e. Confer. a special agent, who
in the beginning, had charge of the
work. Mr.. Confer visited the Puma,
Hilo Hamakua and Kona districts of
the island of Hawaii and finally Sc
lected a small tract on the Louisson
Brothers Plantation on the lands of
Pohakea, Hamakua. A lease of 9 Il
acres of the land was secured in the
name of the Secretary of Agriculture
Washington, ID. c., at the nominal rent
al of five dollars per annum. Special
privileges were granted by the owners
of the land, who have assisted the en-
terprise in every way in their power.
The land was new and uncultivated, so
that delay of some months ensued
before the field could be made ready
for planting. The first crop was trans
planted to the experimental plots in
March and April. 1904.
The experimental tobacco field was
located in Hamakua because the phys
zeal character of the soil was right to
produce good quality of crop. The
Pohakea homestead lands We're suit
able available and convenient There
are other areas In Puma. Kau and kona
On Hawaii and on each of the other
islands of the group, but at the time
this experiment was undertaken the
Pohakea tract was selected as the most
convenient place in which to carry on
field work.
SOME HAWAIIAN TOBACCO SOILS.
The soil on the Hamakua homesteads
and on the Hamakua tract of land
adapted TO tobacco.--a belt extending
from raauhau to Hakalau at an eleva-
zion of from 1000 to $500 feet-is a sandy
forest loan, very rich In humus and
with a high nitrogen content. The color
of the soil is light brown becoming
almost black when wet.
The Kona district is undoubtedly bet
ter adapted TO tobacco cultivation than
Hamakua because OF the protection
from strong trade winds. But the to-
bacco soils of Hamakua and Kona are
very similar in all their characteristics.
CLIMATE.
The influence of climate on the grow
ing of tobacco is a potent factor. Cigar
rDbaccos of good quality. are produced
through n wide range in latitude. Prox-
unity to the ocean has always been con-
sidered a deterrent influence.
Tobacco requires from 20 to 100 inches
annual rainfall, from one-half to one
third of this during the growing season.
Moderate temperatures, frequent show
ers or irrigation, to proinc even, I'M
interrupted growth, neither too rapid
nor too slow, constitute an important
element in determining the suitability
of any district where soil conditions arc
correct. Monotony of daily and season
al temperatures are characteristic of
Hawaii, so that the rainfall or the
ability to irrigate the crop. when re-
quired, become of greater Importance
than any consideration If a .iual tenn
peratures.
If we are to produce tobacco on a
commercial scale in Hawaii the rules
of experience which have been develop
ed in Cuba, Sumatra or other tobacco
growing lands, must be modified and
adapted TO our own peculiar local soils,
climate and conditions.
In Hamakua, tobacco can be set at
any time and will grow better and
faster from February to September,
fwarm weather., although, If set IN
September and October, if the ground is
wet, It will make enough growth to
mature a crop during the cold we1th.r.
In Hamakua. the average cigar to-
Connecticut seed leaf and thinner
Spanish, do well 10 inches in the row
and feet inches between rows, An
acre, set at this distance, contains
about 10000 plants.
The crop planted during March and
April. 1904 was the first systematic and
scientific attempt to grow tobacco in
Hawaii.
An acre was covered with an open
Gove cotton cloth.