The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-05-15
Hawaii Wants
Home Seekers
by FREDERIC ). nAsIxIN,

unknown 1t is region OF perpetual
i|spring.
Perhaps very little Of this land is
A farming industry that turns outeraw
material worth $25O00,00O each year.
where the entire territory is smaller
than even the little State OF New Jer-
sey. is not likely to overlook any such
opportunities FOR further expansion.
That part OF Hawaii which is culti-
waited already produces enough to make
1T the greatest exporting country OF
i It's size In the world. But sugar is not
the only thing that flourishes in the
islands.
wherever soil and climate favor them
and the Hawaiian product is equal to
anything produced in the West Indies
or elsewhere. 1t Is not too much to
say that the pineapple may in itself
bring about statehood for our mid-Pa-
Oahu there was a tract OF $4,000 acres
of land. which was believed to be with
out value. A colony OF fourteen fam
lilies from Southern California thought
they saw living in 1t and bought II
for song, settling on 1t themselves.
after failure followed as they tried to
grow different crops. At last they
tried pineapples. with the result that
their disappointments were soon for
gotten. That land now sells for 5000
an acre. and shows an annual profit
that justiaes the price. Hawaii now has
/ over 5000 acres in pineapples. and the
industry Is on such a profitable foot
ling that In a few years there will be
at least 10000 acres under cultivation.
4 Large areas OF good land are avail
able. and the markets OF the United
States take all that is grown and then
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
sold to the canneries at from $40 to
s26 per ton. The fancy fruit that
goes to the Eastern markets is worth
as high as 5000 per ton. Although this
is strictly an infant industry" as
compared with what 1t promises to be;
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 we'll, but there Is ready mar
ket for all that can be produced. The
| Agricultural Experiment Station at
Honolulu finds that species OF rot
holds down the yield. The station is
trying to get the laborers on the SUI
gar plantations interested in the grow
ling of SILK worms. 1t is pointed out
that IL the families OF these laborers.
Including the children. can be brought
to the point of giving their attention
to this work IT Will very materially
augment the income OF the household
and tend to give stability to the la
boring class. 1t is hoped that attend
Ing SILK worms will be made side
| issue here like the American hen is
made side issue on the farms Of the
United States. Melons do not thrive
very we'll. In Hawaii they have a
aC a
which is as fatal TO melons. canteloupcs.
pumpkins, squashes and cucumbers as
the tsetse fly is to horses In Africa.
The experiment station Is trying TO
produce melons that VIII be immune
| to this deadly insect.
| Rice offers an opportunity for mon
ey making. A Chinaman was asked
whether he made any money growing
rice. He replied that he grew two crops
a year. One paid the expense OF both,
| ond crop into his pocket-only the
Chinanan didn't say 1t quite that way
Cotton growing promises to be prof
table industry In the future. Expert
ments have been made which show
that a grade Of Sea Island cotton can
| be grown which compares fayorably
with that OF South Carolina, both i'm
grade and in yield. A Peruvian cot
! ton has been found which flourishes in
Hawaii and yields excellent returns
| Coffee is the poor mans crop In Ha-
wall 1t grows in the high, cool re-
gions OF the islands 1t does not re-
quire expensive machinery either TO
grow or to prepare for market. Meth
er does 1t deteriorate with age. but
rather improves. 1t Is cash crop and
can be drawn against as soon as s., a
single bag reaches the market. The
yield is high and the returns sure,
while the trees themselves are excep-
tionally free from disease Twelve
acres of coffee land have been known
| to yield twelve tons of coffee, although
a good crop is a thousand pounds an
acre. One man can attend to twenty
acres except at picking time. Pickers
are paid so cents per hundredweight
OF berries brought to the mills. Wo-
men are the best pickers and pick some
200 pounds day. Children are en-
ployed to pick the lower branches. so
THAT STOPPING is almost eliminated. The
annual crop is valued a about a third
OF a million dollars, some $4,000 acres
l being devoted to it. Nearly all OF Ha-
4 wallis coffee goes to the mainland OF
/ the United States. the greater part be-
ing used on the Pacific Coast. It is
mild in type and has very different
i can coffees which find such favor In
| the States.
1 The rubber industry in Hawaii is still
in the experimental stage, but experts
i belleVe the opportunities rOr prOnt are
Il going to be large. Preliminary eX-
4 periments by the government indicate
la high yield from even young trees.
lover 100000 rubber trees have been
planted in the island. and still other
y plantations are being established The
Increasing demands and the inadequate
supply OF rubber in the commercial
I world make the price of this commod-
l|ity a very attractive proposition to the
planter. But rubber growing Is
business which requires scientific
knowledge and which yields slow re.
turns. It is not inviting to the small
4 farmer. IS
i Experiments with tobacco show that
4 grades which compare favorably with
A the best that Cuba and Brazil have to
. offer can be grown on Hawaiian soil.
! Hawaiian tobacco can come into the
I UNITED States duty free, and therefore
!, Ihas an enormous advantage over that
4 Of Cuba and other countries. With this
advantage, and an equally good grade
/, Of leaf to Offer Hawaii tobacco grow
!. ers certainly stand to win big returns
q from their labors.
], Hawaii is not the place for. the mon
4 eyless man. who expects to grow rlch