4 
which thrive best in a moderate rainfall; and also dry regions 
where drouth-resistant crops thrive best. 
DIFFICULTIES EXPERIENCED BY THE SMALL 
FARMER. 
Perhaps the most important and most universal difficulty ex- 
perienced in raising crops in the Territory is that due to insect 
pests. These pests constitute a serious trouble or menace to al- 
most all of the crops which are grown commercially, and in near- 
ly all agricultural locations in the Territory. Insects everywhere 
constitute a source of expense to the farmer, but in tropical re- 
gions they are perhaps more serious than in the ordinary temper- 
ate climate. It is not every year that diversified agriculture suf- 
fers to such an extent as to positively discourage the farmer, but 
outbreaks of serious pests are likely to occur at any time, and. 
frequently happen in such a succession of attacks by different 
pests that the crop is practically ruined. Notwithstanding the 
evident seriousness of injurious insect pests, there are effective 
means for preventing the destruction of the crop by these pests if 
the known methods are applied promptly and ordinary common 
sense is used in protecting crops. Parasitic insects have proved 
exceedingly efficient, and an investigation is being carried on con- 
stantly to discover other effective parasites for the control of in- 
sect pests which thus far have been without their natural check. 
Fungus diseases offer no more serious drawback to diversified 
agriculture in Hawaii than in the average agricultural region. At 
times a given crop may be almost totally destroyed over a small 
area by a fungus disease, as notably in the case of potatoes and 
pineapples; but such attacks are no more frequent nor more se- 
rious than is the case with fruit and vegetables on the mainland 
and in other countries. 
The chief difficulty, which concerns the production of agricul- 
tural crops, is found in the nature of the soils. Our soils natural- 
ly contain an abundant amount of plant food for the production 
of good crops. The physical condition of the soil, however, is 
such that special methods of cultivation are necessary in order to 
make the plant food available. A large percentage of the soils 
of the Territory become compacted so tightly as to exclude both 
water and air from the stratum lying beneath the depth to which 
ordinary cultivation is carried on. Some of the most serious 
troubles which have been had in the cultivation of pineapples, and 
in retaining moisture in the soil for other crops, are obviously due 
to this tendency of the soil to become so closely compacted as to 
exclude the air. Under the circumstances, superficial cultivation 
