The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-08-06

That cotton, without in any way in
terfering with industries already es-
tablished in these islands, can be made
one of the most valuable income
producers Of Hawaii is the belief of Dr.
E. V. Wilcox. director of the Federal
Experiment Station. Or. Wilcox ex-
pressed this sentiment in the course of
talk before the Promotion Commit
tee yesterday afternoon.
tThe cotton industry is not new
one here by any means.' said DR.. Will
cox. stSince the time of the Civil War
there has never been any doubt con-
corning the possibility of producing
here as fine grade of cotton as can
be grown anywhere in the world. And
cotton can be marketed here, advan-
tageously. ANY quantity, from the out
put of a few acres TO that of a great
plantation, can be disposed of just as
readily as it was in the olden days.
"One of the advantages that cotton
possesses, is the rapidity with which
it is handled. We have made expert
ments with some which was ready for
picking four and one half months after
it was first planted The regular Sea
Island cotton is ready for picking six
months after planting. Thus it can be
grown either as an inter-erop, or as a
regular issue In the latter case two
crops a year can be counted on.
"sThe original reason for planting
cotton in these islands was the short
age of the world IS cotton crop which
resulted from the Civil War. The South
ern States were producing two-thirds Of
the world s cotton crop.
1'For several years Hawaii produced
from 10000 to 10000 pounds of cotton
year.
And all of this cotton was raised
in small patches by individuals. Even
under those conditions the reports from
Washington indicate that the cotton
grown here produced the very finest
grade of lint The cotton which we
find growing here about, and which is
generally called wild cotton. is in real
ity the Sea Island cotton brought here
in the olden days.
sfThe Sea Island cotton must have
been brought here as early as 1880. for
Al 80 ~
expedition. mention is made of cot
ton mill at Kailua, Kona, Hawaii where
a good grade of cotton cloth was actual
" being made. This was in 1887. The
wives of the missionaries taught the
weaving of cotton, and the records say
that their pupils soon surpassed them
in dexterity.
ssThere are of course many things to
be guarded against today, in the cot
ton industry, which did not face the
planters of that day. Great care must
be taken in the selection of seed, and
the insect pest is something that must
not be overlooked in these days of
worldwide commercial activity. But all
of our seeds are selected with great care.
and are secured from countries not
affected by the boll-weevil and other
pests.
s.We have distributed cotton seeds
to go persons in these islands. This
year we are growing seven varieties
of Upland cotton, the ordinary CONNER
eial cotton of the mainland, four kinds
of Egyptian cotton, kind of Chinese
T. Taand cotton, and the Caravoniea.
This we are doing with the view TO
aseertaining which is the best suited
to local conditions.
SAT first thought, at least, it would
seem that owing TO our separation from
the great cotton markets, We should
grow a very high grade Of cotton here,
something that would sell at the high
est figure. Whereas ordinary Upland
cotton sells for twelve cents pound,
or thereabout, the best grade of Sea
Island cotton brings as high as thirty
cents.
..Our average yield of Sea Island
cotton is nearly double that produced
in the Sea Islands.
'.Our average yield Of ssea Island
cotton is nearly double that produced
ON the same area in the Sea Islands.
In general, increase of yield is only
secured at the sacrifice of quality, but
sueb has not been the case with cot
ton. as far as we have been able 10
ascertain. In fact, samples OF Sea Is
land cotton grown here and shipped TO
the buyers on the mainland, were pro-
nouneed by them to be IN class by
themselves and 10 rank with the very
best of what they call Prime Island.
some of the advantages of cotton,
i that ii viii endure very series
drouth. when once it is started At our