The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-09-18

fertile and the scenery beautiful, but
I had no conception of the real situa-
ton. The beauty of the flowers. the
variety of the fruits, the salubr1ry IF
the climate, the grandeur of the noun
tains, and the sublimity of the ocean
view, all surpassed my expectations.
But what surprised me most was the
material development, particularly
along agricultural lines. The sugar
industry was by far the greatest sur
prise. as | expected to find it in a
crude state, only partially developed.
| find, however, that it has reached a
high state of perfection.
The irrigation plants convey, by
fumes, water for miles and miles to
the immense reservoirs are on
tremendous scale. In Louisiana, where
| live, it is not necessary to resort to
this process to raise sugar. The fact
that the people of these Islands have
to expend something like hundred
dollars per acre for water and fer
tilizer, was hard to understand until
| learned that as result of this in
ceeds of crop amount to, in some
instances, eight and ten tons per acre.
I find the machinery for harvesting
the crops and converting the cane into
sugar is strictly up-todate, and every
practical modern invention is put to
use here. The automatic unloader AMI
ear shift are something I have never
seen before. These, and other labor
saving devices, show that the people
of the Islands are strictly up-to-date
and should be commended for their
efforts and enterprise.
The rice cultivation here is quite
different from what it is in Louisiana.
The planting Of the seed in beds and
taking out what we call slips. and
planting out the stalks in rows separ-
ately, would at first appear to be
: crude, but when I learned of the re-
suits, it showed that this must be the
best possible plan, at least here.
In making a statement that refers
to the improvements in the Islands, I
wish to emphasize the fact that the
| roads of the Territory are among the
I best l have ever ridden over. Even
| in the State of Tennessee, where thew
| have macadamized roads. and stone is
abundant, you are constantly met by
toll gate. Here you have no toll
| gates and the roads are so good that
| a tifty-mile speed in an auto is a
pleasure.
The pineapple industry is one in
which I have taken a great deal of
interest, and while L am not familiar
with the cultivation of the fruit, it
does seem that the system adopted is
/ the best possible While coffee is pro-
duced in paying quantities, it does
seem that, as your product is relieved
of all tariff duties, your small farmers
should cultivate the berry on more
extensive scale. / believe that with
proper transportation facilities and
reasonable freight charges, this in
dustry will in time be developed to a
stage which will make it highly re-
| munerative.
[ believe that the homesteader
should be encouraged to own his home
in perpetuity, and trust that the land
laws may be amended so as to eneour-
age demonstrating, for this makes a
country prosperous.
Too much can not be said in praise
of these people who have gradually ac-
cumulated fortunes by their enterprise,
and are spending money in an unstint-
ed way in building up the material
interests of the Islands, particularly
in agriculture.
The school system is most praise
worthy. I was astonished at the edu-
cational development l found, espe-
eially when making tour Of the
schools on Honolulu. In conclusion, t
wish to express my hearty appreeia-
tion to the people of the Islands for
their splendid hospitality to our party.
JOHN T. WATKINS,
Louisiana.