The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1909-06-25
HAWAII SHOULD
RIVAL TENNESSEE

the great industries of the Hawaiian
Islands if the planters get together and
study it from beginning to END as they
have done with the sugar industry. 1t
took the pineapple industry twenty-five
years to come to the front, but it was
because the industry was not properly
and thoroughly studied at the start.
The earlier planters gathered the ex.
perience, but they didn't make any
money. ] should hate to see the cotton
industry in Hawaii have the same his
tory. "
T. ]. Sedgewick. the sugar expert,
said as above yesterday in speaking of
the chances for the development of the
cotton industry in these islands. While
satisfied that ultimate success would
greet the efforts of the cotton growers
| if the proper study of conditions were
made at the beginning, Mr.. Sedgewick
does not beittle the difficulties in the
work. He compared the work which
would have to be done with the work
which has already been and is now be-
ing done in Peru, where he had oeca-
sion to look into the matter. Mr.. Sedge.
| wick discredits all claim to be an ex-
pert with regard to the growing of cot
| ton, blu. it is kindred industry to that
| which he is interested in, sugar, and
he therefore has a not inconsiderable
knowledge regarding it.
eff the planter intending to go into
this business of growing cotton in Ha-
wal should, by any chance, think it
get-rch-quick proposition, he had far
better stay out of it. If, however, it is
his aim to build up an industry that
can live through hard and good times,
l strongly advise him to stay with it.
While | am not certain about the exact
acreage of cotton in Hawaii at the
present time, think that it is all in
| the experimental stage.
"What the development of this in
dustry in Hawaii means is a whole lot.
1t means, in the first place, a number
of new Independent industries added to
the list, as, ginning factories, baling
factories, cotton seed oil factories, cot
ton mills for the making of fabric, and
several others | would not advise the
tearing up of one acre of ground that
is now in a money-maEing crop, such as
cane. There would probably have to be
a number of trials to find the location
in which cotton would grow best in
the Islands. l am under the impression
that the prevailing winds will be a
factor which will have to be taken un.
der consideration, the excess of rain
another, and it may be that the red
dirt which is found in some localities
would stain the cotton. Those are all
matters which would have to be gone
ipto thoroughly in the growing of cot
ton here, else it would not be sue
cess for considerable time to come.
Gin Peru the cotton industry is see
ond only to sugar. The annual output
is between $4,000 and $1,000 tons of
gin cotton. A great deal of the prod
net is used right in the couotry for
making fabric, the rest being mostly
shipped to England.
"Cotton was known there in the very
early days, and in the graves of the
ancient Incas cotton cloth has been
found, as well as the cotton seed. The
cloth thus found is fne-woven and care.
fully dyed, and, owing to the dry
climate and no rain, the colors are of
ten found just as perfect as they were
when the cloth was first put in the
ground.
"In some ways the cotton industry
is ahead of the sugar industry in Peru.
They raise about 700 pounds of clear
cotton to the acre, planting once every
two years. In this time they have two
crops, and sometimes three, if the land
is especially suitable. Piura is the
great cotton district, and here both
the brown and the native cotton is
grown. OF course, it also is grown all
along the coast. Sea Island and Egyp
tian are the two most common varie-
ties. Peruvian guano is used for fer
tilizer, and the soil is plowed and cul
tivated by the smaller planters with
oxen, the larger planters using steam
plows. The fields are laid out in rows
about four feet apart, the seed being
planted about three feet apart. All OF
this is kept under irrigation, and very
frequent irrigation during the first few
months.
"When mature-abOut seven months
after planting cotton picking il
done by the natives, working on Sc
much per hundred weight basis. Cul
tivation consists in wedding and throw
ing dirt once to the plant, thus throw
ing the irrigation furrow between thu
rows instead of on the seed. After thu
crop is harvested. the plants are Gu
off n few inches above the ground, ant
about three months later begins irri
cation, cultivation, and fertilization TO
the rattoon crop.
"They claim that the cotton is pro
duced at cost of six and one-hal
cents, gold, per pound. The pr'ces TO
cotton in the country run from ten t
fourteen cents, gold. The ginning ma
chinery is of the most up-to.date type
and the presses used are hydraulic AM
automatic, this usually completing III
installation of the small cotton plant
Some. however, carry the business far
Their and have cotton seed oil mills o
their plantations. Besides, there mr.
central cotton seed oil mills in tn
largest cities
"The process Of extracting the Of
from the seed is a very intricate ont
aud requires expensive installations
Among the products that are gotten ar
cotton seed oil, lint from the seed,
cheap soap, and cotton seed cake, III
latter usually going 10 England tn
factories run ON the bulls from the seel
using them for fuel. The next ste
IN the cotton industry is the maxim
Of fabric. In and about Lima ther