Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1917-05-26

In the I.revjOus papers Of this ferries
were disc used suCn IcCuminOus crops
as have prov ed their worth and ease
OF culture under a rather wide range
OF Hawaiian conditions In the pre-
sen; .aper cOnsidertion Is given a
number OF legumes which appear to
have less value under present condi
tons. either because Of their rcstriC'
ed uses, difficult culture or limited
areas over which they thrive. Some.
TO- are as yet only In the experimental
stages OF development. In any even:
1t would seem worth while 10 call
attention to the. most promising with
a view to interesting those expert
mentally inclined
Alfalfa
NO one ConvcrsaIt with forage
CroIs questions the great value OF al
falfa No other forage crop has
spread so rapidly or attained a like
popularity where live stock is raised
as has alfalfa. especially on the main
land. While alfalfa has gained foot.
hold in Hawaii, its culture has thus
far been wholly Of an intensive nature.
and in consequence very much re-
stricted This is because OF it's eX-
acting soil and moisture requirements
and the difficulty usually experienced
IN establishing good stand.
As a general proposition We would
advise that no extensive paintings be
attempted until the crop has been
tried out experimentally. However,
where deep sedimentary or silly soils,
together with ample water irrigation
arc available, there is little question
but that the crop will succeed Plant
ing rows ~ to "a inches apart at the
rate Of ) 70 10 pounds Of seed per
acre is highly to be recommended, as
it economies in seed and facilitates
wedding. Cultivation appears TO be
essential to success. and weeds should
never be permitted to get an over
hand. The variety most generally re,
commended is the Peruvian which, be.
cause OF IT'S upright growth. Is es
pecially suited to row planting and
cultivation. Great care should be ex'
ercised to obtain pure seed, both as
to variety and as a protection against
the dodder pest
At Haiku Satisfaction some dozen
varieties have been under test for
several years. no satisfactory growth
can be obtained in the low uplands
without heavy manuTing. Deep tillage
is essential, but care must be taken
not to bring sub-soil too near the sur
face. Aeration of the soil together
with lining Is often helpful During |
the present spring the crop appears |
to have responded to even light APP
plications Of phosphoric acid, either in |
the form Of super-phosphate, reverted |
phosphate or bone meal. We would
strongly recommend that all who have !
found difficulty in establishing the |
crop due to an unresponsiye sol, to
test out phosphates In one form or
another. Apply at the rate Of 500 to
1000 pounds per acre, before sowing
the seed, disc we'll In. .~-s.
- The recently introduced Hairy Pc
ruyian variety appears to be giving
the best growth under our conditions,
but We would still recommend pure
strains Of either the Peruvian or COM
mon Chilian variety. /
Soy Beans ....-e .. r...-~ II
The soy or sega beans has received
much notice OF late as a possible
emergency crop, largely because OF |
its high protein. content, but mainly /
owing to its richness in oil and con-
seouently high food value, constitu.
epts in which we are likely to expert
ence shortage most Unfortunately |
the soy bean does not appear to be
well adapted to Hawaiian climatic |
At the Hawaii Experiment |
Station, the College Of Hawaii and
Sub Station at Haiku, many varieties
have been tested. by seasons, sfertiliz-
ers and NEGOTIATIONS. Occasionally
a good growth has been obtained, but
the crop has been too erratic to war
rant its general recommendation. In
the Kona district on Hawaii, the Japa-
nese appear to have succeeded better
than elsewhere. There the crop was
fern srly extensively intercepted with
coffee. The production lie said to have
been about 100000 pounds annually,
hui we have no data at hand az to the
present output.
Tbe varieties that have succeeded
hest, with us from among more than
one hundred sorts tested during the
mast dozen years are the following: