The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1857-07-16

Business of most kinds Is at q standSuiis anu tne
auction rooms have barely found sufficient customers
to make any sales. More than usual sickness
prevails in the town, principally influenza caused by
the sudden changes of the atmosphere. The high
winds on Friday and Saturday last, left many COM
planning of severe colds and other ills.
The Next MAIL FROM THE U. S-We somewhat
expect the New York mail of June 9th by the clipper
ship ssSouthern Cross, - which would leave San Fran
cisco about July 9Th, and may be expected about the
22d inst. But our advices in regard to this vessel
are not definite.
OUERY.-Can any valid reason be given why no
attempt is made by this government to arrest and
bring to trial, Lyman B. Swan, who continues sport
ing on the beach in San Francisco and laughing at
the ineffciency of our government and its officials in
bringing him to justice
FOREIGN SEEDs.-The Agricultural Society has
never been doing more for the benefit of these
islands than at present, though with less display
than in former years. The systematic Importation of
seeds shrubs and trees, is what we have long needed.
DIR. Hillebrand, the indefatigable Secretary of the
Society, has recently received seeds and shrubs from
Sydney, Melbourne. Tahiti, Peru, and Marquesas.
Over fifty varieties of seeds are IN his hands for dis
-AhhOhS Viz ~ SN~Gos 't
cypress, casuarina, several kinds of acacia, four
kinds of high shade trees from Fatuhiva, and eight
varieties of hedge plants. Those who have the op-
portunity and wish to experiment with hedges or
trees, will be supplied on application to DR.. II.
j. Chamberlain ESQ.,, who recently returned in
the .foraiag Star from a visit to the Marquesas, has
brought a most valuable addition to the varieties of
trees now here, he having brought from these for the
Agricultural Society, a quantity of seeds of forest
trees sc. among which are the following, as described
by him.
!. The hi, a large hardwood tree, growing luxu-
riantly to a height of sixty feet, and bearing a nut,
whose kernel furnishes food in times of scarcity.
2. The Roae, a magnificent shade-tree, with wide
spreading branches, bearing a nut as ~palatable as the
almond.
5. The Ratu, a tree of great height, and very or
namental ; said to be a poison tree, though it is sup
posed to be SO only to fish.
4. The Roa, an evergreen, resembling the cedar,
having its leaves long, like the pine, and jointed !;
grows in exposed and dry situations, similar to the
sides and SUBMITS of Punchbowl and Diamond Head.
All these trees are valuable for timber, as well as
ornamental, and seeds can be had of DR.. II.
PryEAPpLEs.-The Morning Star brought about
800 plants of Marquesan pineapples, which have been
sent up to be planted on East Maui. 1t is supposed
that they produce a better fruit than our pine
apples. The size and quality of this fruit, we think.
will be found to ditsr according to the cultivation it
receives. They seldom receive here any attention,
being allowed to grow where they can. On the
island of Taboga, near Panama, pineapples are culti-
rated with care, and we have seen ten acre fields
growing, kept as free from weeds as cane or corn.
The effect which cultivation produces in the yield,
is perhaps greater than in any other fruit.
TYPE AND TYPE SErTING.-Some of our readers
have expressed a desire to know the comparative size
of the Commercial and Poiynesian, in the shape
these papers are now printed. We have therefore
had the types measured, and find the following re-
suit. Perhaps it is not known by all that types are
measured by the letter M. and each page, column or
handful is said to contain SO many ems. The last
number of this paper contained 5000 ems, the last
number of the Polynesian contained 1o2, 900 ems.
Of these types the Polynesian resets weekly for its
readers about 90, 900 ems, the Commercial resets
weekly 76 1000 ems.
WHEAT AND FLoUR.-We are glad to perceive that
the mill has commenced grinding again, after lying
idle for four or five months. The Kdmoi brought from
Kahului about ten tons of wheat. This lot is much
inferior in the color and size of the berry to the aver
age of last years wheat. 1t turns out a good and
sweet article of -four, however. We ought to men
ton here that new stones for grinding the wheat have
recently been put up, which it is thought will not
only grind faster but produce a better article of -four
than the old stones. An importation of wheat from
Oregon, where it can. be had cheap would doubtless
improve the quality of the flour made. The .f1rance
and Metropolis afford good opportunities for pro-
curing the grain, without the risk attending the inn
of -four in lumber vessels.
SHIPS SPARs.-Honolulu is acquiring a reputation
for the superior masts furnished at the shipyards.
All the vessels lately fitted out here have had as good
masts as could have been found in any port in the
world. Those who wish to see a beautiful spar should
look at the new main mast of the schooner Mary,
which is seventy feet in length, and was hewn out by
Messrs. Robinson & Co. The timber is northwest
pine, from Puget Island, and a good supply of spars
are kept constantly on hand.
- THE New DRUG STORE, recently erected by
DIR. Hoffman,, on the lot adjoining Messrs. Hackfeld
& Co., is a very neat model, taken from faderland.
The doctor has had considerable experience in building
and fitting drug stores, and this comes nearer perfec-
ton than any previous attempt. 1t is almost needless to
add that the doctor is always on hand when wanted,
and that his stock comprises the choicest and freshest
drugs and medicines to be found here.
y Our neighbor must be hard pushed for subject
matter to discourse on, when he can, find nothing to
say but contradict the stater-nt which everybody
knows has truth at the bottom of it, that the govern
ment printing sc concern costs " $12,0 900 to S15,-
0OO'' a year, a fact which the next Legislature will
probably investigate. If the Rev. gentleman of Ma
kawao, with whom the Polynesicn appears fond of
sparring, never utters any greater libel than the
above fact, he need fear no damage.
"SoME PuMPKINs."-We were surprised a few
days ago, with a half dozen fine s~quashes. sent up
from Waialua by W. Chamberlain Esq. On mea-
surfing. the largest of them proved to be fire feet and
ten inches in circumference. They were all of the
VafparGiso variety, which is considered the best ia
vored for the table. Now that Waialua has her name
up, we shall expect to hear some reports from other
partS not 70 ba fam in tho rnhlichaj onr;cu1x,r,1