The Washington herald., 1909-01-10
GOES AHEAD
Islands Make Great Progress
Under American Rule.
RAISE PINEAPPLEs AND SUGAR
Largest Canning Factory in the
World Operates in HOnOIulu-WOrk
All Done by Scientific Mechanical
Process-United States Government
Aids Profitable Agriculture.

Aids Profitable Agriculture.
1 OF In the middle Of the North Pacific
I Ocean. right under the line Of the tropic
F of cancer. IN latitude 1872 and longitude
155-l6a. in direct line with the City OF
Mexico. in North America and Canton,
I China. lies a group Of islands called the
Hawaiian or Sandwich Islands. which
were the first foreign possessions Of
7 the United States.
( They are little known by the general
public to-day and were less known q few
/ years ago. Yet they are forging so rapid
. ly ahead commercially that not only do
F they stand AT the head Of the list OF
1 improved United States territory" but
! they are forcing themselves upon the
markets q the world In suen an agrees
I sive manner that from an unknown guam
( THY commercially they are now known
quantity that must be reckoned with
+ This IS the result OF American brains.
f industry. and practical. scientific business
and agricultural methods When the
United States annexed Hawaii L had a
duskv queen. LiIiuokalani: a fine climate,
no commercial standing. and a small, ir-
( regular production OF sugar, pineapples.
( bananas. and rice. It also had great pos
sibIitieS agriculturally. but the natives
either did not realize that or were too
Indifferent 70 develop the natural re
sources Of the Islands
Hawaii Isolated in South Seas.
/ Hawaii IS isolated in that geographical
division 81 the North Pacific Ocean
called Micronesia The nearest mainlands
are Mexico on the east and China on the
west. The Hawaii group consists OF five
4 principal islands. Kanai. Oahu. Molokai.
Maui. and Hawaii. with many small ISL
ands adjacent 10 these
Trading prior TO the annexation Of the
islands by the United States was largely
between the islands. with a little Of the
scant product going 70 distant ports via
the trans-Paciic steamship lines and such
tramp freight steamers as stopped irTeEu-
larry az Honolulu. To-day large Quanti-
ties Of sugar and canned pineapples are
shipped regularly via regular steamers
. from Honolulu 70 all parts Of the main
land Of the United States via steamers
20 San Francisco and across the Isthmus
OF TehUantepec. north OF the Isthmus %
Panama
The development Of Hawaii IS the most
remarkable IN the history Of the annexed
/ territory Of the United States. Il Is prob
ably best Illustrated by the strides made
in the pineapple growing and canning In
dUstry- Eight years ago pineapples were
raised in Hawaii in q crude. UnsCienufc
way, with the result that the product
found but limited market. while to-day
F. according 10 the latest crop report. the
I production for this year wiIl be 10000
cases, OF $4,000 cans. Of sliced. grated
and crushed pineappIes. Eight years ago
the output was about 5000 cases and
there were about 10 acres under crude
cultivation, while to-day there are almost
$500 acres under scientific cultivation. so
that American brains and push that have
made pineapples a successful product Of
the islands may be thanked FOR much Of
the progress made by our distant pos
session IN many directions.
Government Seizes Opportunity.
The United States government is al
ways on the outlook for every oppor-
tunity 10 improve its possessions. no mat
ter where located. and Frederick H.
Newell. head OF the Reclamation Bureau
Of the Department % Agriculture who
has lust returned 70 Washington from an
extensive investigation and study Of con-
ditions and possibilities in Hawaii. is en-
Enthusiastically an advocate Of the further
development Of the island. With GOV.
Frsar. OF Hawaii. who is now in Wash
ingtOn with him 10 assist in the govern
ments plans. sir. Newell visited all the
centers Of the various industries Of Ha-
wall. The new methods OF cuItivating
pineapples and the scientific and wholly
sanitary process employed in slicing.
grating, crushing. and canning them fur
nished 10 Mr. Newell an excellent exam
pie Of the progress made and still posi-
bic under expert American direction
Another thing that pleased AIr- Newell
was the discovery Of the fact that Ha-
wall offers a new field for white labor.
both in the fields and in the canning
plants. The largest canning plant in the
world is located in Honolulu In one day
last year ~, eco cans Of pineapples were
turned out in that one plant and fer the
season OF approximately three months
this cannerv alone produces 100000 cans
OF pineapples-
Work All Done by Machinery.
This means that the pineappIes are
pared. cored. sliced. grated or crushed,
put into the cans. and sealed. all by ma
chinery. The simplicity Of the process
helps in the speed OF preparation. because
there is no secret or complicated preser-
walton process used Nothing Is put in
the cans with the pineappleS but pure
graduated sugar This is all that is nee
essary. because the fruit is allowed 10
ripen absolutely on the plants before il is
picked, and therefore no chemicals are
needed TO assist in a process Of ripenins
after canning
Few pineapples are shipped from Ha-
waii green-Or IN any way except in cans,
and as the industry is in the hands Of an
association 10 which all growers belong.
and as the canning plants are owned by
the growers and the work all done on
uniform system. the product is assured
OF g uniformity that has placed Il at the
head Of the pineapple product Of the
world
While in Honolulu Mr.. Newell an
noUnced that it would be his aim upon
his return to Washington 10 cause the
government TO take active and immediate
steps 10 reclaim many thousands Of acres
Of land for cultivation In sugar. bananas,
rice. and other products at an approx
mate cost Of $40 an acre There are
] $4,000 acres n the islands He thinks
10000 acres can be reclaimed