Polynesian. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu], Hawaii) 1844-1864, 1852-08-21

committing the seed to the earth. am partial
to the method of planting it in, drills. At
the outset it will doubtless cost more labor
but that it will ultimately cost more is not
clear. The land will Of necessity be better
plowed, the seed will lay deeper and be more
certainly covered. The body of tFe grain
will be stouter, the heads better filled, and
there will be much less danger of the wind
and rain which frequently throw the grain
down or entangle it. The drills on rich
land may be about as near as horse followed
BY small plow, can make them without
walking in the furrow last made. BY plant
ing thus. one can walk through the length of
his field, prevent weeds from choking his
grain, and the rats from making unreason-
able depredations and finally, the grain is
more easily and cleanly harvested Since
writing the above, find the following re-
marks in the I" Pictorial Cultivator Almanac" :"
for 1852 1.-THE practice Of sowing wheat
IN drills, Is every year gaining favor, and
this system Of sowing is destined TO become
general. In England the system is already
so well established that it Las been pro-
| nounced the sheet anchor of husbandry." ,"
Those however, | will add, who are disposed
To cultivate wheat can try both methods, the
broad cast and the drill, and decide for them
selves which Is on the whole, the best.
for one, earnestly desire a change Of
seed, for though our wheat which is tho
bearded kind is good, still Ihave no doubt
that change would be beneficial. Cannot
seed be obtained from the coast, or from the
United States: II from the Northern States,
the first crop or two might yeld less than
~ ,,h. t,,t .E
mated, we should probably have larger crops,
and grain of better quality.
3rdly Obstacles to wheat, oats, and corn
growing and preserving.
These | have shown are not found in the
soil of Hawaii nei. though some or all of them
may be with The climate. Nowhere probably
can wheat and OATS be more easily raised
than on many parts of the islands. Obstacles
however exist; for to success in what Eusi-
ness are these not found! We might about
as well murmur against Providence for not
giving us our bread baked and buttered,
without the toll of oven heating, dough knead-
ing and churning, as to complain that We cam
not oh tain our wheat and corn without toll
and vigilance in wardns off and destroying
the enemies ofvce citation. Ofthese enemies, ),
the pelua have already mentioned. We all
know the character of this insect, and have
most Of US been tried by its ravages; but Ills
one of the trials incident to the labors Of the
agriculturist in un untried climate. We
need the influence of a New England winter
10 check the ravages, or TO rid the country
altogether OF this and other insects. But as
the remedy in this case would be worse than
the disease, we must bear the trial as pa
tiently as possible, till in good time some one
shall discover the method of DESTROYING SO
dire foe to agricultural, and especially to
horticultural pursuits.
Another enemy to grain of every kind we
have in the peeril This will cause us more
trouble fear than the pelua | need not say
that the weevil attacks the grain after it is
garnered, and il will find its way through a
hogshead, a barrel or bag ofwheai or corn,
in an incredibly short space Of time. know
Of no method of preserving our grains from
the ravages of this insect. Caution in curing |
and putting them up Will do something II
They should be most thoroughly dried, and
put up in small containers or bags. The
wheat which formerly obtained from Kula,
| used to put into bags containing from peck
to a halfbushel each, and these hung in the
cook room near the stove pipe. think no
weeyils were seen in one of these bags unless !
it became wet from the rain through the roof.
II any member of the Society can suggest a
method either of destroying this insect or OF
our wheat and other grams from
It's ravages, he will confer great favor on US
ALL
The rat, too, means to show us wheat
growers, that this grain is sweet 10 his tooth. |
| hope this vermin will not increase upon US,
and rival the pelua and the weevil in destruct-
iveness. AS he condescendingly waits till
the grain is nearly ripe before he attacks it,
| think he will harvest but small part OF
our fields After all, we have fewer foes TO
our garden vegetables and grains than our
friends of other countries have, and we may
we'll endure the ills Of this sort which we can
no. cure, or endure them till cure can be
effected.
4ih. Finally, allow me to say that we al!
have occasion for gratitude to God in view
Of the multiplication of physical comforts
within few years; and we should be siimu-
lated by this consideration to encourage, both
by preccpt and examples more thorough
and systematic cultivation ofthe. soil till the
best resources of the islands shall be fully /
developed.
To feel the force of this appeal to our
gratitude. let me take you back with me to
1928, the year in which some of us landed at
Honolulu and commenced our residence ON
these shores Here was our work and those
Df us who came to toll for the people, looked
for our reward in the coming world. And
weH we might, for we had little prospect of
obtaining it on earth. The fact is some ofus
we're for several years put on short allow
,nce. and may add, no more s,reei than
hort will not particularize. for no one
wishes TO talk or hear of such things. Suffice
il to say that during some part Of 1929 while
was absent onihe North West Coast,
here was great suffering in Honolulu tor