The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1915-11-12
APPLIED SCIENCE
AND PRODUCTION
That Hawaii Cannot Compete
With lava And Cuba With
out Protection
Shown In Interesting Publication
Prepared BY H. P. Agee For
Commerce Department

A pamphlet dated October 1915 has
been issued by the II. s. =. A. expert
ment station on "the relation of ap-
piled science to sugar production in Ha-
wall which details the essential diff.
ferences between the cost Of producing
sugar in Cuba, Java and Hawaii. This
pamphlet was prepared for the fnforma-
ton Of the department of commerce,
which recently sent special agent Frank
j. Sheridan here to investigate the cost
of producing sugar. IL was prepared
by director II. P. Agee with the cooper.
alton of his assistants, Messrs. Burgess,
Lyon, Norris, Potter and Swezey, and
is the best and most concise resume of
the subject that has ever been pub.
lished.
Efficiency vs.. Cheap Labor
Starting with the preamble that
"the mainstay of sugar production in
Cuba is the abundance of cheap lands -
while in Java il is cheap labor, DR..
Agee proves cOnclusively that Hawaii,
lacking both cheap lands and cheap la,
Dor, "has developed, and perforce must
maintain, an efficiency which is well
ahead of that of her foreign cOmpeti-
tOrs.'
lie quotes Prinsen Geerligs, the great
cane sugar authority, on the cost of pro.
duction in both Cuba and Java. and
proves that Hawaii is only able to
compete with them through the appli-
cation of a combination of thrift and
science. Hawaii continues to grow and
manufacture cane sugar only because
of the modern business system that has
been developed and science applied to
every branch of the industry has been
very important part of this system.
Scientific Investigations
Outlining the work of the experiment
station OF which he is in charge DR..
Agee states that the following work is
under way. Studies have been made of
the life history Of a number of insect
enemies of cane, including the anomala,
bud moth, bOrer; cut worm, leaf hopper,
leaf.rOller and mealy bugs. Parasites
have been brought here to prey on the
leaf hopper, horn fly, borer and ano-
mala
A systematic survey of the plantation
cane insects is made periodically to
forestall epidemics and collections are
made for scientific purposes and for
comparison. Under this system of Gin
sect Inspection" which is maintained
in no other country in the world, enemy
forms eau be, discovered and steps taken
to combat them long before they be
come a menace.
In this connection it may be stated
that DIR. l.. o. Howard who recently
visited Hawaii, pronOunces the Hawaii.
an method of prevention of injury to
crops the most advanced step in prar,
teal entomology ever adopted. Every
where else than in Hawaii the epidemic
comes first before the farmers seek he
remedy.
Plant Diseases
The planters experiment station is
the only institution in Hawaii
equipped to study and fight plant dis,
eases. They have Investigated the
FIJI disease, iliau, leaf.spot, Pahala
hight, root rot, yellow stripe and sereh
diseases of cane; the fungi parasitic on
insects; and, the yeasts used in alcohol
manufacture.
Chemical studies are made of soils
fertilizers and irrigation and drainage
waters. The chemistry of manufacture
is also well under control, weekly and
yearly synOpses being made which &C
quaint the factories with the latest
developments in this subject. The
problems connected with which sugar
production are also studied.
Field Tests Too
Extensive field tests are being made
and many purely agricultural expert.
meHts are under way, Experiments are
under way with agricultural nipple
ments; methods of cultivation; the
utilization Of organic wastes; the use
of green manures; the water require
ments Of cane; the duty of water in
relation to. sugar production; and, the
lining of soils.
A field station Of 1885 acres is oper
ated at WaihO and In addition almost
all the plantations have experimental
areas where tests are made under the
supervision of the experiment station.
The utilization of by-products to
feed cattle, or, as source of potash,
alcohol and paper stock, are being in
vcstigated, In a word, the Hawaiian
planters are doing on their own account
and at their own expense work which
in most other lands is done by the
state, and they are doing it because it
pays.
Science and System
"APplied Science has placed agri-
cultural production on higher plane
in Hawaii than in any other common
wealth in the United States, and it is
only through the application of modern
business system and science that Ha
wall can continue to compete with
other cane countries where land and la
Dor can be had "for a song"
This pamphlet comprises so much
that is concise and exact that it should
be in the hands of everyone who is in
tcr"sted Ia sugar. 1t is hoped that If
It has not been placed on sale price
will be fixed on this little volume so
that it can be within the reach of all.