The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1857-04-02

stlmated valuation $lOO,OOO.
On the same Island, at Lihue, a plantation on a
similar scale was commenced in 1850, with an esti-
mated capital of about $1OO,O00 1t embraces 1000
acres of cane and pasture land; but, unfortunately,
it is located in a district exposed to droughts, and has
not yet been remunerative. Within the last year the
proprietors have had recourse to irrigation, at an
outlay of some $1,000, with every prospect of ultimate
success. The motive power on these two estates is
water. On the Lihue plantation, steam is employed
as an auxiliary.
On the Island of Maui, there are two sugar mills,
worked by mule power. Each plantation has about
1900 acres of cane and pasture land. Original cost
of each about $4,000. Each estate employs o field
gang of forty to fifty natives, and with this force is
capable of producing $50 tons of sugar annually.
The East Maui plantation produced the past season
about ITO tons.
On Hawaii, near Hilo, there is o sugar plantation
conducted by Chinese. which has been producing
about 100 tons per annum. The above five planta-
tons, including that at Hilo, compose the entire
sugar interest Of the Hawaiian Islands.
Since 1885, some eight or ten small estates have
been commenced on different Islands with o too lin
tied capital, whose operations were suspended, owing
to the low price of sugar occasioned by our over
stocked markets, during the years of 1851, 2 and 3.
There are five varieties of sugar cane, which may
be considered indigenous to the Hawaiian Islands, as
they have been known to the natives from time inn
memorial, or as far back as their traditions extend.
1st. The white cane, inclining to q straw color,
which is very watery, considered inferior. and but
little cultivated.
I'd. The yellow or straw color, not readily distin-
guished from a variety imported from Tahiti, is q
rich cane, and is the kind most generally cultivated,
at moderate elevations above the sea.
Sd. Purple-rind dark purple, very hard, with o
white cellular structure, and rich uice-ohjeotionable
on account of the hardness of the rind and joints,
requiring more power for the perfect expression of
the juice.
4th. Purple-not distinguishable from the former.
except by the purple tinge, extending to the interior
tissues of the cane.
9th. The green and purple ribbon, OF striped.
with softer rind and joints than the purple; very rich
and juicy, and generally considered the best variety,
especially upon the high table lands.
The three last varieties have q foliage less droop-
ing, and of a deeper green than the white or yellow
canes; are more hardy, and on this account, are
much preferred on land considerably elevated above the
sea; being less liable to injury from the cold nights
and winds.
All these varieties of cane are found growing natu-
rally or in a wild state, throughout the Hawaiian
group, at various elevations, from that a little above
the level of the sea to an altitude of thirty-fve hun
dred feet. Below the elevation of seventeen hundred
feet. the cane is eight to seventeen months, according
20 the the time of planting or cropping, in arriving
OF maturity. It arrows (if not less than six or seven
months old) about the Goth of November. Planted
ut any time after the LIST of June, it fails to, develope
the arrow at the usual ensuing season, and a growth
Of seventeen months may be thereby secured from
the first planting. If planted much before June, it
arrows the fol lowing November or December, but the
yield is comparatively light. Above the altitude of
seventeen hundred feet, the cane seldom arrows, and
it is twenty to thirty months, according to elevation,
in maturing; but as o compensation for it's slow
growth ON the high table lands, it may be planted
any month in the year, and the crop may be allowed
to remain on the ground six or seven months after
its maturity, without material deterioration.
Another advantage consists in the superior quality
of the juice, having an average density of l2o
Beaume, with much less admixture lowing to the
harder and more fbrous texture of cane of slow
growth) of foreign matters, as indicated by a larger
per centage of sugar, as well as by its superior quail
ity. The bagasse is found, in ordinary seasons, to be
ample for purposes of fuel; and in very dry seasons,
it accumulates beyond the wants of the furnace.
The better quality of Island sugar compares favor
ably with that of New Orleans, and with the ex-
ception of the ~latter) has the preference over all other
raw sugars, which find their way into the California
and Oregon markets.
If the density of juice be any test Of its quality,
the cane of the Hawaiian Islands is unsurpassed by
any in the world. In the West Indies 100 Beaume
is considered a high average density. In Louisiana
the average density is about 70. Cane of so low q
quality at the Hawaiian Islands might be manufac-
tured into molasses; but no one would think of
making sugar from it. The average density of the
uice of ripe cane of these Islands is 104 to 121, &C
ording to its maturity, and the season of grinding.
Louisiana is indebted for the superior quality of her
sugars to her improved process of manufacture, in
team trains and vacuum pans. At the Hawaiian
Stands. the more primitive method of manufacture
has been the only available one, in open kettles over
the open fire. 200O' gallons of juice yield upon an
average 1000 lbs. sugar. By reboiling the molas-
ses, 2300 to 2500 lbs. of sugar. with 80 gallons mo-
,es are obtained from the same quantity. The mills
m operation on the Islands are found to give about
30 per cent of juice. Seventeen cart loads of cane,
weighing something over one ton each, is about the
average quantity of canes required for one ton of
:ugar. A cart load of cane is formed by piling one
length of canes, average length seven feet, four feet
wide and eight feet high.
The total annual product of the Islands has never
yet exceeded 700, or at most 800 tons; and about
one-third Of this amount finds a ready sale, for home