The Hawaiian gazette., 1912-01-02
REJUVENATE THE
TARO INDUSTRY
Want a Mainland Markei-Dr
Wilcox Thinks Hawailans
Should TAKE It Back.

A new era FOR tho Hawaiian industry
is about to begin, Judging from the
plans prepared by the federal ex.
perimental station and private ipdivid.
uals to endeavor 70 raise Il to solid
commercial basis Independent Of the 10.
cal taste, wn;ch Is largely confined to
a race that may lose Il, as it has al.
ready lost SO many Of the things which
formerly characterized it.
Principal among the aims OF the ex-
perimenters is that Of creating taste
for taro on the Coast which is equiya-
lent to creating market, but whether
tins ambitions enterprise will be i'm
mediately undertaken OF not is doubt
fui. Present work along the lines of
improving the industry is largely con-
fined to raising the degree of quality
and increasing the output per acre.
1.-THE main point in the taro indus
try today, = stated DR.. L. v. Wilcox,
special agent in charge Of the federal
Hawaii Agricultural station, in an. in
terview this week, sis that it has been
gradually assumed by the Hawaiians
and those engaged in growing taro, that
the methods that have Been good
enough for our grandfathers are good
enough for us. No one has ever at
tempted to learn. whether there were
better varieties other than those that
are now being used. 1t is possible that
these varieties were the nest at the
time when the Hawaiians first com.
meneed to cultivate them in tine ancient
era, and that they have since run out
st seems to me- he continued, af.
ter describing the splendid results OBJ
tanned by the station IS substation ex
periments at Hilo, Hthat there are
great opportunities here for those who
have any desire at all to go back tt
the land and earn an independent liv
ing. They can go to the taTo growing
regions and under these modern meth
DDS make independent livihgs from
small lots of land. They are the one
who support the taro industry, anC
they can take back that part Of i
which used to belong to them and which
ought to belong to them now.''
Big incomes. 'aH
AS result of the experiments beinJ
carried on under the supervision of Sup
Serintendent Cloves of the Hawaii sub
stations taro has obeenigrown showing
gross income of 1850 per acre, whiel
would be a glowing inducement t,
bring the ordinary mainlander back t.
the land quickly. Local small farming
ENTHUSIASTS deplore the sentiment t.
some extent existent that taro growing
! has become a Chinese industry and q
only for Chinese coolie labor.
The experiment. carried on by. the fed
eral experimental station which ha
been conducted, largely under the direc
ton Of Doctor Wilcox, is practically tn
first time that modern agricultural sci
ence has turned its attention to thi
crop. As a feSGit,.so exact bookkeeping
has been carried on in Gtoodmfbction witt
number of crops of diffefedt varietie
at the Hilo station and some of thes
have been shown to yield the ineom
} mentioned. 20 1880 aTAd N
The exact cost figures are not We
available but Doctor Wilcox Estates tina
it is very low inpeompafisonfwith othe
crops. There are practically no insec
pests, or if any,1they are few and un
important, he states. b Theyare not bad
ly attacked bysany manner of plan
disease and what is COMMONLY known a
taro-rot,p which 2sendsa certain pei
centage to the waste pile,she believe
) to De, not a fungus disease, bnt tn
result Of the plant receiving imprOpe
food. The system of fertilization use
now is wrong, he says, particularly i
3 the manner of application. of nitrate
and it was only recently that the sta
tion managed to induce some of til
planters TO change their methods, wit
the result that those particular crop
t were immensely benefited.
: other Possibilities.
= At the present time the Miami Clio
n ida) agricultural station of the federa
g government is very much interested i
n the production of taro. 1t is sendin
and has sent to Hawaii for numerou
specimens of the varieties obtainabl
here and is now experimenting wit
them in Florida soils. They have ais
imported numerous related varietie
from the West Indies and are endeavol
: ing to discover those which are hes
suited. The directors of that static
+ believe that the taro is a splendid sui
h stitute in districts untitled for th
potato.
The increasing interest in dessicate
J. fruits and vegetables. thinks DoctC
Wilcox, should be extended to tar
"a Flour made from potatoes and otht
. vegetables and even bananas hav
= proved 10 be great successes and judi
Y ing by this he believes that taro flor
n deserves AN equal II not better success