The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1907-10-06
-DRIFTED ALONG
IN THE OLD RUTS
Hawaiian Farmers Seem Not
to Have Realized the Extent
of Their Riches.
PLANTATIONS RUN DOWN
WORK OF DEPARTMENT OF AG-
RIcULTURE.
Especial TO The Herald)

Washington. Oct. st is the opinion
of experts of the department OF ayr
culture that the people of Hawaii have
possibilities of their islands. Instead
of going in for diversified crops, and in
stead of scientifically studying and I'M
proving the old-time staples, Hawaiian
farmers have drifted along in old ruts
until they have been literally forced TO
abandon certain lines of production be-
cause of their inability TO keep pace
with the rest of the world.
The production of coffee, once a
leading industry of Hawaii is rapidly
declining, many coffee planters being
obliged to go out of business. The cOf-
fee situation, as sized up by the gov
eminent scientists. is typical of other
agricultural pursuits in Hawaii. There
are the natural resources, climate, soil
and water, which go to make coffee
raising a success. But many of the
farmers have permitted their planta-
tons to run down; they have failed to
weed out plants of inferior grade and
substitute those of the highest grade
Disaster has been the logical result.
Coffee Industry.
Special Agent Jared G. Smith. sent to
Hawaii by this government, reporting
on the coffee industry, says:
THE coffee industry is one especially
adapted to the development of a sta
BILE population of small landowners.
The coffee belt lies at an elevation of
from 1000 to 5000 feet, the most sa-
luxurious location in the islands, a re-
gion of comfortable temperature the
year around. Coffee does not require
Ia Of fol in &c i've
ton. and it is a crop which can be pre-
pared for market without Expensive
machinery. There are no difficulties
about growing coffee in Hawaii. The
trees are remarkably free from disease.
the yields are high and returns sure.
The chief cause of failure in coffee
growing in Hawaii is due to economic
conditions. The best grades of Ha
waian coffees have always been in de-
mand, and these grades sell themselves.
The low grades, however, cannot be
produced in competition with Brazil
and similar countries, and practically
every small producer engaged in coffee
growing in Hawaiia has been forced
out of business. A few of the larger
growers who remained have managed
to continue only through the exercise
of the most vigilant care and economy,
and have held on more because they
had faith in the future than on ac-
count of actual profits returned upon
their investment" 1t is pointed out
that there is a bright future for the
coffee industry in Hawaii if the grow
crs win devote themselves entirely to
the production of strictly high-grade
coffee.
Tobacco Could Be Grown.
With its climate similar to that of
the most famous tobacco growing
countries of the world. 1t Is strange
that Hawaii has never taken up that
industry, sThe department OF agricul-
ture believed tobacco could be success
fully grown in Hawaii. and several
years ago begun experiments with seed
obtained in Cuba, Sumatra, some of the
states which engage in the industry,
and from other foreign lands where
high grades of tobacco are grown.
When samples of Hawaiian grown to-
bacco were submitted to experts the
leaf was found to be of good burn and
flavor. and the elasticity, firmness and
general texture place all the samples
in the wrapper class"
The quality of the leaf is due to the
soil and climate. Indeed, one of the
Hawaiian islands was found TO be an
ideal tobacco growing region. On the
mountain slopes of the island of Hama
kua the clouds gather almost every day
in the year. The mornings are usually
clear, with full sunshine, but before
the heat of midday clouds drift in from
the ocean and rest over the lower
slopes, disappearing again towards
evening. In effect Hamakua tobacco is
shade-grown. not by virtue of being
planted under cloth tenting, as is done