Polynesian. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu], Hawaii) 1844-1864, 1852-01-31
PAPER READ BY L. l.. TORBERT,
BEFORE THE ROYAL III. AG. SocI

BEFORE THE ROYAL III. AG. SOCIETY.
Sugar cane was found in these islands by Capt.
Cook, and how long i. had been here before he dis
| covered them, Is matter Of conjecture. 1t grows
| without culture almost every where. In the low
est land, it seems to be entirely at home, and we
find it equally so in the dry up lands, as high as
5000 feet above the level of the sea-
At about 100 feet above the level of the sea. it
ceases to blossom, and continues to grow on from
year to year, for four, five, and SIX years.
1t is hardy plant, stands the excesses Of wet
and dry, and in almost every situation over grows
the grasses and weeds.
How long it will grow on the same spot without
exhausting the ground is hard to tell.
In some soils it may degenerate and die out
whilst in others, it improves by long standing
| asked an old man how long sugar cane had
been growing on particular spot of land called
Ulupalakua, on East Maui. After sitting for some
time in silence he said, ''when | was young, my
father told me that in old times, that cane field was
notorious for robberies, and the people frequently
went some other road to avoid passing through it."
That was, perhaps, one hundred years ago and
the best cane in Honuaula Is on that same spot to
day, and very likely will be there for hundreds of
years to come.
Mr. John White, who came to these islands in
sugar was first made at these islands, by native
of China, on the Island of Lanai. He came here
in one of the vessels trading for sandal wood and
brought stone mill, and boilers, and after grind
ing off one small crop and making it into sugar,
went back the next year with his fixtures to China
After that he does not know of any being made
until about the year 1923 or when the foreigners
commenced it again on Maui The most common
way of preparing the sweetenlng for long time
was by very simple process, merely chewing the
cane, and stirring the juice into the tea and coffee
Sometimes it was pounded on poi board, and the
juice pressed out with the hands. Then came
small wooden mills with two rollers, and turned by
natives; and next, by cattle with iron mills.
II is not my intention to speak of the nature and
properties of sugar cane. You will find that SUBJ
ject ably treated in work by George Richardson
Porter on the growth, culture and manufacture Of
sugar. But if you step out into the field with me-
I'll show you how we plant cane where live
Choose a soil light and deep, vegetable mold.
mixed with cinders or volcanic ashes, is the best
Plough it deep, once, twice and three times if you
can Harrow it well, and furrow it out six or seven
feet between the rows. Run the furrows along the
hill side and not up and down. Cut the cane up
in short pieces 3, 4, joints in each piece. The
top of the stalk is the best.
Drop the cuttings in the furrow in line at a
distance of one foot from centre to centre If the
land is very dry, cover about two inches Deep but
if the land is heavy and wet do not cover the cut
ting, but only lay them in the furrow, and press.
them down with the foot. After the young shoots
are six or eight inches high, add little dit to the
roots.
Young cane must be Kept rery clean until it is
,ceH rooted.
When the bottom leaves are dry, pull them off
and add little dirt to the roots. After this,
it is perhaps matter of fancy whether you dress
your cane or not, until it is fit to grind.
have very heavy cane now growing, which has
had no care whatever since it last cut, emily to
keep the cattle out of 1t.
Two years is the time il requires to come to ma
turity when well cultivated, and three when left to
grow without culture.
The Tahiti cane is perhaps the best in dry eli
mates. The red cane is good to stand drought too.
The white cane Is poorest of all.
These remarks viii be found correct only for
such soil and climate we have on the uplands on
the lee sides of our Islands.
For low lands, in wet climates where the cane
blossoms and yields one crop per year, different
course would be proper. One thing however, will
lpply to all situations. Keep your cane clean up-
AZ II is ,ceH rooted.
l shall now give you an account of the amount
# cane produced on one acre Of land at Torbert's
plantation at Ulupalakua, East Maui.
The cane was weighed at the mill, and the juice
measured In the pots, and the syrup, after boiling,
vas filed into open ended casks which had been
carefully gauged.
The time of each person employed was marked
lown each night
lbs. of cane II1,575.
gallons of juice 6,3l0.
do. Of syrup 1,06e.