The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1861-09-19
NOTES OF THE WEEK.

RICE-We referred to this article last week. On
Saturday, 1T the special request of Mr.. Holstein, Of
the Agricultural Garden, (who is the pioneer in this
new business.) we visited his rice beds, consisting of
about one acre and a quarter lying along the
stream, in the garden enclosure. There are ten
patches now nearly ripe, which afford the most beau
tiful sight that one can wish to see. The rice is all
headed out, and turning yellow for the sickle, and
more thick and heavy than any wheat or barley We
have ever seen. We counted twenty-three stalks
frcm one seed, and the heads ON the same averaging
over 80 kernels to a stalk; yielding, as the product of
one seed, over 1850 kernels of rice. This is a speci-
men of what rice will produce here, and the sight of
these patches is enough to satisfy the most skeptical
that rice-growing can be made Il sure. safe and pro-
ftable business. Mr.. Holstein procured his seed, at
an expense of FIVE dollars IA pound. from South Caro-
lima direct, (before she seeded, mind you,) and it IS
therefore the Simon pure article. lie expects to take
off 1000 pounds, ! 900 of which he has already sold
at ten cents per pound. Those who wish to procure
good seed, should apply early to him. We hope every
one interested in rice culture, and those, too, who
don't believe in il, will look ut his beds. and if they
do not become converts, it is because they are more
skeptical than Thomas of old. The grain will be cut
by the 18th inst.
While speaking Of rice, we may as well add some
facts gathered from Mr.. H.. The patches are pre-
pared as for taro. so that natives can do the work
better than foreigners. After the seed is planted. it
requires little or no care. and in 90 or 100 days is
ready to cut! Another thing. Neither cattle,
horses, hogs nor goats will eat it, the straw having q
why, pricky nature. These animals will eat the
grass all around the patches, but not touch the grow
ing grain. There are probably thousands Of patches,
if not thousands of acres of taro land lying rGste
and uncuitivated, which could he put into rice just
as well as not. If so, and allowing to such land
an average yield of only 1000 pounds to the acre,
(though well titled patches will yield from two to four
thousand pounds here we have Il crop of one million
pounds Of rice, which might be raised for export, if
our people would but wake up TO the fact. To plant
one acre, it requires about twenty-five r"""1o of
the land lying waste viii make the Experiment. All
that they can raise will find a market here in Homo
lulu. --
\ DAY OF Fasting AND PRAYER.-At the late
convention of the native churches of Oahu at Haul
ula, koolau, it was proposed by some of the native
members. that a day Of fasting and prayer be OBJ
served by the churches for the United States in their
present piiHiia. As a reason, it was stated, that
this country has been greatly dependent ON the
United States for its religious teachers and its COM
mercial prosperity, and is now seriously affected by
'~ N'N''~ "AN NAFA hiA a mat anu MS III
originated entirely with the native members
of the convention. Thursday, the 10Th day of the
month, having been set apart by the President
Of the United States rs a day of fasting and prayer,
t was resolved unanimously, to recommend to the
on this island to observe that day as a sea-
son of special prayer, that God would speedily bring
he United States out of this furnace. purified, and
to exert a still greater influence in pYomot-
the cause of freedom and true religion in the
world. -
y PRIZE LAMP.-Every arrival from Yankeedom
rings some new invention, generally intended for
purposes of economy or labor-saving. Messrs. Di- y
nond Y Son have shown us a new lamp, which
eceivei the prize offered some time since by oil dealers
New Bedford. 1t is called Topham's patent whale
Prize Lamp, and it is asserted that the cost Of oil
onsumed III it, will not exceed three-ouarters of a
ent an hour, while it surpasses in brilliancy Of light
nd economy of consumption any other lamp. This
claiming n great deal for any oil lamp, and cur
ousewiyes, who, in these hard times, are studying
;onomy, will doubtless put them to a fair test.
lamps can be had at the store Of Messrs. Di-
lond x Son, at 81 each.
CHOICE WINE.-We have received from Mr.. Dudley
Bates, n bottle Of Currant Wine, made and put up
: our former towusmau, Mr.. J. +. B. Marshall, ut
farm in Westboro', Mass. This wine has a very
easant flavor, very grateful TO such rs have
en- accustomed to it in the States, where it IS
made by those who cultivate currants. There
nothing in this wine but the pure juice of the cur
mt and sugar, and the price at which Mr.. Bates y
it (S12 per dozen) is SO reasonable that those
10 use wine, either for cooking, health or medicine,
II give it a preference. 1t is the pure article. We
pc Mr.. VI. will be encouraged to keep his press in
Instant operation.
SUNDAY PERFoRMASCEs.-Last Sunday the ma
les attached to II. l. NJ. Ship GGIatiec, some 20 in
mber, came on shore, armed with muskets bay
ated, and. with a band of music, marched to the
tiohc Church, where they attended service. All
: may be very well, but would it not be better for
ange-s % conform to the customs Of the country
ere they may be visiting. There is an old pro-
b, a. while in Rome we should DO as the Romans
- The P0lyHcsiln says that the soldiers came
ore to attend a 50 grand military mass" In Yam
dom, they would call such a turnout q " grand -
Itary mass meeting"
'Ew BELL--By the Rqduga. a new steel bell has
for the kawaiahao Church, in this city. 4
s piece of Information will be received with de-
[ by those persons of shattered nerves residing
he immediate vicinity of the church as the old
bell has been allowed to whecze out a dole
sound for some months past. The new one ca
1898 lbs, the largest in the country, We be-
2, though the HiIo bell is about the same in
iiENsE YIELD OF SUGAR.-fn the letter OF our
il correspondent Will be noticed the particulars I.
robably the largest yield of sugar ever recorded.
are assured by Capt. Makee, the owner Of the
tation, THAI there is no mistake regarding the b;
sites given, extraordinary as they may appear.
nly goes TO prove the capabilities Of our islands
ugar growing. -- "a
? The autumual Equinox occurs on saturday,
it Is TO be hoped that the clouds may become MI,
', and let us have the usual amount of mud and N
Rim Is mucn nceiei ON al tho rastures md