The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-05-31
advertiser Correspondence, Copyright
by Frederic j. Easkin.)

advertiser Correspondence, Copyright
by Frederic J. Easkin.)
HONOLULU, T. H May 15.-There
are more than 100000 acres of fertile
.and desirable land in Hawaii as yet
santilled. Much of it is not in use at
all, and the remainder is used for
pasturage. More than half of it is
owned ty private parties, the remand
er being government land. The small
farmer is wanted in Hawaii, and the
government has some seventy thou
sand acres which it stands ready to
hand out to settlers who will come this
way Most of this land IS high anu
dry. 1t is from 1000 to 5000 feet above
sea level, where the rigors of winter
and the burning heat of summer are
alike unknown. 1t is a region of
perpetual spring.
Perhaps very little of this land is
available for the production of sugar.
A farming industry that turns out raw
material worth s25.0O0000 each year,
where the entire territory is smaller
than even the little state of New
Jersey, is not likely to overlook any
such opportunities for further expan-
sion. That part of Hawaii which is
cultivated already produces enough to
make it the greatest exporting coun-
try of it's size in the world. But sugar
is not the only thing that flourishes in
the islands.
Pineapples are profitable to grow
wherever soil and climate favorS them,
and the Hawaiian product is equal to
anything produced in the West Indies
For elsewhere. 1t is not too much to
say that the pineapple may in itself
bring about statehood for our mid
Pacific possessions. On the island of
Oahu there was a tract of $4,000 acres
of land which was believed to be with
out value. A colony of fourteen families
from southern California thought they
saw a living in it and bought it for a
song, settling on it themselves. That
was seven years ago. Failure after
failure followed as they tried to grow
different crops. At last they tried
pineappes with the result that thelF
disappointments were soon forgotten.
That land now sells for 5000 an acre
and shows an annual profit that justi-
fies the price. Hawaii now has over
5000 acres in pineapples and the in
dustry is on such profitable footing
that in few years there will be at
least 10000 acres under cultivation
Large areas of good land are avail
able. and the markets of the United
States take all that is grown and them
call for more. Pineapples usually bear
fruit two years after planting, and
the first crop averages ten tons to the
acre The cost of production ranges
from $40 to SIS per acre, and the fruit
is sold to the canneries at from $50 to
S2s per ton. The fancy fruit that goes
to the eastern markets is worth as
high as $500 per ton. Although this is
strictly an infant industry as COM
pared with what it promises to be,
even now the annual yield brings a
good half million of hard cash into the
islands.
Bananas grow in Hawaii in great
abundance. but as yet there is little
market for them. Potatoes do not
thrive well, but there is a ready
market for all that can be produced.
The Agricultural Experiment Station
at Honolulu finds that species of rot
holds down the yield. The station is
Nrying 10 get the laborers on the sugar
: Plantations interested in the growing
'of silk worms. 1t is pointed out that
if the families of these laborers, IN
Guiding the children, can be brought
to the point of giving their attention
to this work it will very materially
augment the income of the householu
and tend to give stability TO the labor
ing class. 1t is hoped that attending
silk worms will be made side issue
here like the American hen is made q
h., So of
States. Melons do not thrive very well.
In Hawaii they have a little beetle
known as the melon bug which IS as
fatal to melons, eantaloupeS, pumpkins.
souashes and eucumbers as the tsetse
f1v is TO horses in Africa. The expert
ment station is trying TO produce mel
ons that will be immune to this deadly
insect
Rice offers an opportunity for money
making. 4 Chinaman was asked Wheth-
.er he made any money growing rice.
He replied that he grew two crops
wear. One paid the expenses or poLh
and he put the returns from tne sec
ond crop into his pocket-oniy the
Chinaman didn't say it quite that way
Cotton growing promises TO be pro-
liable industry in the future EAPeIL-
ments have been made when sho"
that GRADE of sea island cotton can
he GROWN which compares favoraoiy
with that of South Carolina, botn III
grade and in WELD. Peruvian COTTON
has been found which f1ourishes IN ha-
waii and Yields excellent returns
Coffee is the poor mans crop IN ma
kaii 1t grows in the hlgh, eooi
Sions If the islands. It does not re-
-o,Sxp extensive machinery either 70
GROW or to prepare for market. Nel.heL
does does If deteriorate with age, but rather
improves. It is cash crop and can he De
drawn against as soon as single oag