HAWAII EXPERIMENT STATION. 379 



of the world's markets and in spite of the American duty on this prod- 

 uct, there is still hope for greater reward in store for the Hawaiian 

 grower. Investigations as to cultivation and the most efficient use of 

 water would well repay. In this connection and as an aid to the future 

 development of this island group a comprehensive soil survey of all the 

 agricultural lands would save to the men who are to develop the 

 resources of the land millions of dollars. Much experimental work 

 has been done in trying to grow this or that crop. A soil map of the 

 islands would, in Case some one crop were found which grows better 

 here than anywhere else, indicate exactly in what other regions this 

 crop would be most likely to succeed. There is hardly a crop culti- 

 vated in all the subtropical regions of the globe but which has been grown 

 here at some period during the past eighty years. Fruits, nuts, dyes, 

 tannins, precious woods, spices, vegetables, drugs, fibers, and forage 

 plants have been grown in endless variety. The castor-oil bean is grown 

 in Kona and finds ready sale at $60 per ton. Tea is almost a weed in 

 Olaa and Hamakua. Vanilla thrives in Kau, and the cocoanut in Puna. 

 There are large trees of cacao, the source of chocolate, in the city of 

 Hilo, and the African oil palm lines the streets of Honolulu. Tobacco of 

 excellent quality has been grown on all the islands. The opportuni- 

 ties for work in lines where practical agricultural benefit will result 

 are so many that it is difficult to choose what first to undertake. 



Investigations in forestry are much to be desired, but these can not 

 be undertaken by the station without considerable increase in its 

 resources; and, in any case, whatever investigations the station might 

 undertake in this direction should be done in cooperation with the 

 Bureau of Forestry. 



Many of the native woods of this group are extremely valuable 

 from a commercial standpoint, and a considerable trade in these woods, 

 notably koa and sandal, at one time flourished. It would be well 

 if the entire backbone of each main mountain chain of each of the 

 islands be set apart in forest reserves under the Federal Govern- 

 ment, in order that the native forests may be protected and preserved 

 and that a modern and legal system of forest conservation may be 

 carried out. The sugar plantations all depend directly or indirectly 

 on the wooded mountain slopes for their water supply, and it is due 

 to their owners that something be done to check the further destruc- 

 tion of the native forests, and also to replant large areas with trees 

 (native and foreign) which shall in the future become commercially 

 valuable. 



The station has already attained a sure footing in Hawaii. Many 

 inquiries in regard to local problems in agriculture have been received 

 and answered, and the interest in the station is constantly growing. 

 If sufficient money can be appropriated to provide a suitable perma- 

 nent equipment, results will the sooner be obtained. 



