21 



About 20 por cont of the crop of Sumatra tobacco thrown in 1905 

 was of excellent (jualit}' as rejj^ards texture and bod}-, while onh- about 

 10 per cent of the whole crop showed desirable shades of color. This 

 10 per cent has been valued by tobacco exports as worth from $2 to 

 $1.50 per pound. The yield in the experimental plats has been at the 

 rate of about 1.000 pounds per acre. The balance of the crop, 

 unsuited for wrappers, commands only a very low price, perhaps on 

 an average not more than 10 cents per pound. The tobaccos of the 

 Cuban type (PI. 1, tig. 1) yield considerably less than tobaccos of the 

 Manila, Hawaiian, Japanese, and Sumatra types, but whatever per- 

 centage is left after the wrapper leaf has been selected is salal)le as 

 tiller at prices ranging from 15 to 10 or 50 cents per pound. The 

 yield of Cuban leaf ranges from 150 to (MH) pounds per acre, and fully 

 25 per cent of the 1905 crop would have been suitable for wrapper 

 leaf had the colors been lighter. 



There are at least 100,000 acres of land in Hawaii where the phys- 

 ical character of the soil is right for growing tobacco. The largest 

 areas are on the island of Hawaii, in the Hamakua, Olaa, Puna, Kau, 

 and Kona districts. There are also available tobacco lands on Maui, 

 in the district between Makawao and Ulupalakua, and smaller areas 

 on Oahu and Kauai. 



An estimate has been made that if a grower produces tobacco on 

 his own land, and with his own labor or that of his family, the green 

 leaf can be produced at a cost of about 2 to 2^ cents per pound, 

 equal to 10 to 12^ cents per pound for })arn-cured tobacco. 



The yield of Sumatra tobacco ranges from 750 to 1,000 pounds of 

 cured leaf per acre. The broad leaf binder types yield from 1,000 

 to 1,400 pounds, and the Cuban filler and wrapper types from 150 

 to about 600 pounds. 



Unless growers have a considerable acreage they can not them- 

 selves ferment their crop to the best advantage. This end of the 

 industry will undoubtedly^ have to be handled by corporations. 

 While knowledge of tobacco curing in other countries will be 

 extremely valuable to those entering upon this industry in Hawaii, 

 nevertheless the climatic requirements are such that local agricul- 

 tural experience will be of almost equal value. The old Hawaiian 

 native or Manila type of tobacco grows wild all over the islands, 

 from sea level up to the frost line. It has been grown so long 

 without cultivation, or with only the crudest care, that the plant has 

 apparently reverted to the original type. The leaves cure a very 

 rich brown color, but are thick, heavy, and leathery, with so much 

 gum that even after being fermented the burn is very poor. The 

 old Hawaiians, however, recognize certain limited districts as pro- 

 ducing tobacco of flavor and strength suitable to their requirements 

 and taste, with burning qualities which are better than the average. 



