Polynesian., 1858-11-06

Is Sill IelI Mltnout entering upon the complex Ques
ton of the " Balance Of Trade and the still more
complicated one of how, during those eight years We
have been able to buy and pay S5,O00000 worth of
goods, more than We have exported think YOU will
agree that it is desirable to bring up our exports to
nearer equality with our imports In the increased
exports OF 1886 and 1857 it is encouraging to find an
upward tendency 1t is be hoped that that increase
will be progressive from year to year. Our sugar
plantations are doing well throughout the islands,
and so would our cOiee-estates, it not for the
insect which has nearly destroyed the crops for 1857
and 1853 The visitation of that insect like the locust
and caterpillar of ancient times, and the grass-hep-
pers potato and vine diseases of modern are nctons
of Providence, and, such, must be submitted to-
with patience aud resignation. Were the insect to
become perennial in all the islands, it would be great
national calamity for Hawaiian coffee is known to be
of excellent quality, particularly when grown on dry
light soils, and small proportion of the available
capital of the islands has been invested in its cuya-
ton, which capital in that would be wholly lost
But would be contrary to the analogy Of all other
plaques this insect to become permanent scourge
it appears to be altogether beyond human control
but most probably the Providence which sends it.
will also remove it, at time and in a manner which
We neither can foresee nor understand.
Mr.. Minor afhrms that the same insect in 1896
destroyed the cotton trees Lahana but disappeared
after few years. 1t Is generally asserted by the ma
tves, that the insect has so long as they remember
been known on the islands, injurious trees in GER
tain places and that the only novelty is its greater
ravages during the last two seasons. BY some, its
production increased multiplication is attributed to
the long drought of 1856 But this is only matter
of opinion. | wrote long while ago for information
respecting its cause and the of preventing its
ravages to the chronological societies of London and
Paris, but have yet received no answer Mr.. Saw
kns writes from the Island of Trinidad that no such
insect attacking the coffee trees known in the West
Indies. This, however, is mistake Porter, in his
work on Tropical Agriculture, distinctly mentions
that white insect, extremely destructive TO coffee
trees had been known in the West Indies, and that
had been found that by planting pine apples between
the trees the insect easily attracted from them.
This has not been the st Hanaei and is proba
bic that the Hawaiian white insect is not the same as
the West Indian. Mr.. Manley Hopkins, of London,
ssured by of the of the insect de-
partment of the British Museum that such an insect
is well known and cannot be destroyed or controlled
| by any means as yet discovered.
Mr.. Wundenberg, on the 20th of August last wrote
from Hanale, that he had found the insect to spread
from the board TO the mountains and high up in
the deepest Valleys where hardly a native goes,
and that after brushing it off from isolated tree, it
would be found on the same tree, in week or two,
| as numerous as ever.
On the other hand the King, who has ever taken a
deep interest in the agriculture of His Kingdom,
writes from Kailua on the 4th inst, that it was the
impression there, that the coffee blight Of
sequence, if the trees planted sufficiently apart
from each other to allow of free ventilation, and of
easy wedding under them. His Majesty added. how
ever, that some who had suffered much from the in
| sect we're greatly discouraged.
1t has been recommended TO import inaectivorous
birds the best of destroying the insect But
II must be evident that before they could be imported
and multiplied to eat up all the insects every
| coffee planter the islands would be ruined,
and again. As for immediate relief, if it
at all, must look to Him by whose will the earth
revolyes, return, and the fruits of the soil
are abundant or scanty. In the same way, after
bghng almost every tree in large plantations for about
three months it suddenly disappears, no one knows
how whittier, allowing the trees to regain their To-
iage with remarkable rapdity, so, by some unknown
change in the atmosphere, it may disappear entirely
Its rsvages have for the last two years. not been
fined to the coffee tree the insect also attacks the
grapevine, the indigo plant, the orange and most
other fruit trees the sweet potato plant grasses
and seems to have special prediction for the tobae-
co plant.
So far as can learn. on the sugar eane it makes
appreciable impression. This is fortunate indeed,
for if coffee cultivation fall most of the estates might
be proftsby cultivated for sugar. But that change Of
cultivation would involve the propretors in enor
outlay of fresh capital besides the loss of every
dollar previously expended on coffee cultivation.
This s, indeed, dreary prospect for the propretOrs,
and it is not to be wondered at that Mr.. Charles Tit
comb appalled, by il, should have advertised his estate
| for SALE It is TO be hoped that abundant CROP in
the ensuing year, will restore his confidence, and re-
vive that producveness in his estate to which he had
brought it by the most perseyerngi and udicous in
dustry and by a well regulated economy in every de-
tail of its management. If the insect disappear he will
yet reap the reward of his long and arduous labors in
handsome yearly revenue derived from his estate and
in the proportional increase of its value. Such Also in
that event. will be the with commander Hunt Of the
Royal Navy, the proprietor Of the neghboring estate
in the valley of Hanale, managed by Mr. Wundenberg,
who, after crop unprecedentedly large in 1856, would
have had by all reasonable calculation, crop of 125
900 lbs of coffee in 1857 and of 10000 lbs. this
year, had it not been for the same insect.
Mr.. A. H. Spencer, known to be one of the most IN
telgent and successful sugar growers the islands,
the 9th of January last, estimated that cash cap
ital of 100000 would suffice for the buildings and ma
chnery necessary produce 200 tons of sugar yearly
and that at the price of cents per h. there would be
net profit of S46 70, sugar on each ton, and so on
proportonally to the greater price
NT. Wundenberg, on the 9th of June last, made
calculation that than double that cash capital
would be required to convert the estate which he man
ages, into sugar plantation, with all the necessary
buildings, machinery, tools, implements and preparato-
ry labor The expence will, OF course, vary IN differ
ent localities according the size of the estate to the
supply and price of labor, facilities Of carriage, exs-
tence Of water power abundance OF wood for fuel &C.
| SC.
So long as it remains problem whether the insect
hereinbefore referred to- become PERENNIAL or en-
tirely disappear coffee cannot be depended per-
manent, staple production Of these islands. But,
think all experience, for the last few years enables
safely to rely upon sugar as staple OF that charac
ter. have obtained the following information of the
aforementioned sugar plantations which the prin
cipal that as yet exist on the islands:
The KOloa plantation on Kauai, produced last year
about 14O tons of sugar. about 200 packages Of syrup
and quantity of mossses in proportion. 1t is expect
ed that the crop of this year win be larger That es-
tate is the ancient in the kingdom Ii was found
ed on lease granted by the late King and Kakioewa,
on the 29th of july 1885, The expectation at the time
was that the plantation. while profitable to the original
grantees, would greatly benefit the state difficulties,
well known to you ALL supervened and is only recent
lu that fha 0ff
become Of the most ourshng estates in the king
dom.