The Hawaiian gazette., 1909-03-09
NEW OuAA As
TOBACCO LAND

(From Mondays AdvefBse-.l
- believe that ihcrc will be a great
on the Olaa tract. stated Representa-
tive Alfonso yesterday. land ! know
nov ~ some humestcaders VINO would
tobacco industry established come day
/ take Up land there for tobacco expert.
mcnis II the appraised values were not
~ high ~ 10 BIZ unreasonable when
! that price is reduced 10 n figure that
/ b. possible 10 settlers. there will be
many homes established on that land. -
Mr.. Alfonso has been looking into the
/ question Of tobacco possibilities aud has
been in communication with Sub Land
Agent Williams 40 Hilo. in connection
! with the Olaa tract. In one letter, Mr..
Williams wrote
''In yours Of the card ult You men.
toned, that II had any matters to
refer to you, you would give them at
tention.
"There is one thing / have always
regretted, and that is the almost utter
desertion of the New 0laa tract, caused
| by over apprasement of the value of
the lots at the time. which appraise.
ment was no doubt induced by the sud.
den rise of values on the old Olaa
reservation.
alt was soon realized that sugar cane
could only be raised on small portion
of that tract, and though a great many
had confidence that DIR. Russell would
be able to float loan for the purpose
of starting new sugar plantation, yet
they eventually found that this was i'm.
possible and finally abandoned their
holdings.
"Now ! have no doubt, but that to.
baceo can be profitably raised on a
large portion of that tract; il consists
of about 10000 acres, of which at least
5000 to 10000 acres would be suitable
for tobacco culture.
"Some few years ago a number of
the Galicians at the 22nd mile raised
a small quantity of tobacco, and the
sample was, / believe, sent by r. d.
Junkin to Fitzpatrick, the tobacco
dealer.
cit appears, however, that the guam.
tity raised was insufficient to properly
cure the tobacco, hence these people
became discouraged and left for the
mainland. This was at an elevation
of about $500 feet.
81 have seen some of the tobacco
which Mr.. Junkin showed me and, com.
pairing it with the tobacco raised by
the experiment station in Hamakua,
have no doubt but that the quality will
command a good market, if properly
introduced. 1t appears to be mainly
wrapper leaf, the kind which commands
the highest price, of very fine texture
and elastic with very fine ribs, although
the leaf was not as large as the Hama
kua leaf, which is however mainly a
question of the variety planted.
"Now in Hamakua about 100C
pounds are raised per acre, and at only
: an average return of fifty cents pei
pound, it will easily be seen that fiv,
acres will give good return to a mar
with family of children, in othel
words it is the ideal small farmers
crop. not hard to cultivate.
"Now as most of the people are ig
norant of the way in which tobacco
must be dried and cured, it seems tt
me that it would be the best kind o.
, an investment for the Territory tt
make an appropriation to establish al
Experiment Station on that tract, which
need not be on very elaborate scale
inducing perhaps number of the PEG
r pie on the tract at the present time t.
= plant selected seed of various kinds
say an aggregate Oh nNe 10 slS acres
; teach them how to cultivate it, piel
and dry it and, what is most important
, how to properly cure it.
at is not necessary, in my opinion
to erect an expensive closed-in drying
house but shed, with plenty overhani
of the roof would, i believe, answe
: the purpose; this is the method use,
, by Mr.. Gustav Kretzschmar who is rails
ing tobacco in Hamakua.
"During his first year he dried hi
tobacco by aid of fires built in the shed
using ohia wood; this however left
smoky smell in the tobacco; but thi
: year he is using charcoal fire, with pei
feet results.
j 1t goes without saying, that materia
for charcoal is not lacking on tina
tract.
q "Even if the Territory has to cor
duet the entire experiment. the expeI
diture, in my opinion, would yield larg
returns, as L have no doubt but tina
II it will be found to turn out success
"In my report to the Special Lam
Commission, / urged that Sections "a
and 346 be retained, to apply particl
G larly to this New 0laa tract, which
certainly overvalued.
"Mr. Kretzschmar opinion migl
be invited, as he is an expert on toba
y co culture, stating to him the condition
u of climate, ETC.; his address is PAUL
L Hawaii.