The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1907-02-08
FARMERS
INSTITUTE

mess meeting adjourned until evening
II WINS on the program that the mem
hers and guests would inspect the farm
work OF the school, but the inclemen'
weather compelled the abandonment
of this part OF the proceedings.
In the evening the program was mol
only interesting. but instructive Be
sides having DR.. Cobb down Tor an IL
Illustrated talk, there were to be papers
by other members, and the glee club
under the leadership of Chester Liv'
fpgston, was to take part. And al
things came according to plan except
President Jared G. Smith, who arrived
rather late, owing, II was said, to indis-
position.
After Mr.. Horne had called the meet
ing to order. the glee club delighted
the audience with its rendering or
.The Little Cotton Dolly" a genuine
coon ballad without the Objectionable
ragtime features.
Mr.. Horne, president OF Kameha-
meha, then welcomed the members or
the institute and said he always want
ed them to meet there because the work
was in line with a portion Of the daily
school duties. He said he hoped there
regular New England fair, with cattle
show and display of products. He
added that there could be no objec-
ton to the wives and daughters Of the
farmers having a place in the affair in
exhibiting the dairy products. Prizes
might be offered for the best butter and
other products
President Smith OF the institute than
addressed the meeting. Among other
things he said:
PRESIDENT SMITHS ADDRESS.
on behalf of the Farmers Institute
of Hawaii / wish to thank President
Horne and his efficient corps Of teach
ers and helpers for their hospitality.
1t is always an inspiration to me, ana
/ am sure also TO all who are inter-
ested in things agricultural, to meet
with you for our annual meeting. ana
note the progress which each year OF
development shows. 1t is pleasure to
see so many young Hawaiians and to
know that they are being SO well train
ed in agricultural and mechanical lines
SO that they may meet the obligations
which the Industrial development Of
this Territory will impose upon them.
The future of this country depends
to a large extent on the young men
and women now growing up and I am
sure that II you will live up to the
wise teachings of your teachers you
will attain the fullest measure of good
citizenship.
It is fitting that at least once a year
we should consider what has been ac-
complished toward the advancement Of
tho co,ca ~ divarci dra tiou NJ indus-
tries In 1901, when / came to Hawaii
to inaugurate experiment station work
for the United States Department of
Agriculture, there was only one string
to Hawaii's bow. The idea that there
was a possibility of developing new
industries was scoffed at, and remem-
Der that almost every one told me when
suggestions were made as to the pos
sibility Of producing this or that. that
that was an impossibility, as every one
who had tried to grow anything but
sugar-cane had lost every cent they
put into it. Looking back over the last
six years, I note many things begun.
as well as many things accomplished
and best of all note a decided change
in sentiment on the part OF a great
many people who were undoubtedly
sincere in their belief that sugar was
the only possible crop. As matter
OF fact, there are so many things that
hardly know where to commence and
shall have to content myself with a
mere enumeration,
Pineapples.--F'ive canneries are now
In operation and others are In process
Of construction, whereas In 1901 there
was only the single cannery Of the
Pearl City Fruit Company. The cap.
italization employed has increased to
over one million dollars, and as an IL
lustration OF the growth of this indus
try you will be interested to know
that one of our new plantations is the
largest in acreage and number Of pines
planted in the United States. The
shipment OF fresh pines amounts to
over ten thousand dollars annually and
is capable OF much greater extension.
Sisal.-The beginning of the sisal in
dustry dates back about fifteen years.
but has only become prominent within
the last three years. 1t now ranks as
one OF the established industries and
has only begun its full developmental
period. Hawaiian sisal fiber has been
pronounced not simply the equal of the
best Yucatan, but very superior TO It,
and the prices realized for it and the
demand which is developing promise
to place our sisal fiber on par in the
worlds markets with the best Manila
hemp.
Tobacco.-EXperlment with tobacco
have been carried on for four years
and the 1906 crop grown by the Hawaii
Experiment Station has been pro-
nounced, by all who have examined it
OF very fine quality. There are good
many thousand acres of land in Ha-
wall capable of producing this weed
and l want to say right here that to-
bacco countries are rich countries the
world over. Tobacco may be an enemy
Of mankind, luxury and to some eN
tent a poison, but the development o
a tobacco industry in a country de
mands a stable population. There is
good deal Of know how" required an,
II is not the kind of know how that cal
be readily transmitted to a class o
laborers who are here today and Their
tomorrow. Skin and knowledge are es
sential to the production of good lea
and / am firmly convinced that the de
velopment OF tobacco industry
Hawaii win do its share towards Civ
ing these islands better class of poI
ulation than has been considered nee