The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1908-09-04

Sundays Advertiser discussing agri-
cultural methods, and particularly re-
ferring to the cultivation of the date
| palm, voices an exceedingly important
subject. 1t is, however, by no means a
new one, for agriculturists in Hawaii
have long deplored the introduction
here of inferior varieties of fruit trees
instead of the select ana commercially
important ones. No one who has given
a thought to the subject has not re-
GREETED the inferior maugoes, avocado
pears, papayas, and a host of other
fruits with which our Honolulu gar
dens are stocked to the exclusion of
better qualities of fruit.
The energies Of the horticulturists
at the local Federal, Territorial and
Planters experiment stations are de-
voted to the introduction and devel-
opment of choice breeds of economic
agricultural plants, and to this same
end the resources and time Of many
prominent residents of Honolulu are
also directed. In this instance the re-
cent mission of Mr.. MacIntyre to Ma
Mia at the instance of the Hon. s.
Damon may be mentioned, and also the
agricultural experiments of Mr.. G..
Wilder, conducted at great expense
and success, and his recent visit to the
Coast to see Luther Burbank on the
subject of Hawaiian fruits. Many
more like instances could be recorded,
but it is not necessary to enlarge upon
a condition of affairs which is so we'll
known to all residents of Honolulu.
The introduction of the date of com
merce to Hawaii has long been under
consideration, and it will be of inter
est to know that the Department of
Agricultural had recently for distri-
button seeds and seedlings of this val
liable plant 1t is probable that the
supply is not vet exhausted, but even
in such an event Hawaiian agriculture
lists corresponding with the department
at Washington will no doubt be given
requisite data for procuring reliable
supplies. The following is quoted
from the April number of the Rural
Californian:
For each $50 date seedlings set out
in proper form in suitable locality.
the Department of Agriculture will
| give, until further notice, one or two
offshoots from imported date palms, the
number depending on the scarcity of
the variety with the condition that
no one grower or company shall receive
more than fifty offshoots in any one
year and that the department does not
bind itself to supply more than such
portion as it can spare from the natural
increase of the date palms at its CO.
operative and other date gardens. This
would mean that for each ten acres set
out to Seeding dates, from twelve to
twenty-four imported offshoots would
be given. enough to plat from one
fourth an acre to one-half an acre, on
condition that the accredited agents of
the Department of Agriculture have
the right to visit the date gardens and
examine the seedlings, give advice
about the varieties to be retained and
those to be destroyed, and have the
right to take one offshoot from each
seedlin~ variety that may be desired
for further study.
Planters who undertake TO set out
Seeding orchards will be given the
preference in arranging for the distri-
button of imported offshoots and will
be supplied in the ord of their appli-
cations as long as the supply of off
shoots holds out. In addition, they will
have the right to all the offshoots
which are produced by the imported
palms given them as a bonus, and will
not be required, as are all other reel
pients, to give one-half of the offshoots
to the Department of Agriculture.
Under these terms. therefore, it is
possible for the grower to establish
fairszed orchard of date palms at a
very little expense beyond the labor of
caring for the same. Even supposing
that the seedlings prove of very little
value, the grower would still have from
RI turan ath Of ha
chard planted to choice imported off
shoots adapted to his soil and climate.
After these had been set out from FIVE
to six years, he would get on an average
of one offshOot year from each palm
for from five to ten years; that is, by
the time the seedlings were in full bear
ing, say five years after planting, he
would have every year enough offshOots
from each acre planted to imported va
rieties to plant one acre additional,
which would practically insure him
against loss, even in the very improb
able event that none of the seedlings
proved valuable.
The Department of Agriculture has
on hand some thousands of seeds of the
choicest varieties of the world These
are now available for distribution and
will be sent to any applicant who will
give detailed statement regarding his
land-the exact location, township,
range, section, quarter section, etc..
character of the soil, facilities for irri-
CATION, and such other information as
may be pertinent.
1t may be stated that in the hottest
regions large proportion of the female
date palms yield marketable fruit,
while in colder situations many of them
do not come to full maturity. Such
seeding orchards are therefore most
promising in the Salton Basin, Salt Riv.
er and Gila River Valleys in Arizona,
and the valley of the Colorado river
from Needles to Yuma. However, in
case settlers in the interior valleys of
California or other localities not hot
enough to grow late varieties wish to
set out Seeding orchards, they will be
sent seeds of the earliest varieties and
will be given imported offshoots of the
earliest sorts which are most likely to
ripen in their locality.
The following paragraph from Won
Muallara t1SaIect Extra TrnnieaI