The Hawaiian gazette., 1871-01-18
Horse Feed.

Those who keep horses here-and very
few of our people, foreign and native, do
not keep them-have just cause of COM
plaint at the expense incurred for grain
and hay to keep their animals in a condi-
ton to be useful A person keeping a
carriage or saddle horse is obliged, in or
der to keep his animal in condition that
he would be willing to present to the pub
lie, to purchase not only grain imported
here, but hay; both of which we ought to
produc here to an extent even beyond our
real wants. Hay and oats are frequently
very scarce here, owing to the non-arrival
of vessels from San Francisco with the
regular supply, or the late arrival of the
packets which bring it. Now we believe
that all the necessary feed for the animals
kept in the country may be grown in it,
and that too at a much cheaper rate and of
much superior quality than that imported
from abroad. For instance, oats from
San Francisco or Oregon costs here two
and one half cents per pound, or, one dol
lar per bushel of forty pounds-and it
must be recollected that these oats are
full of impurities, such as burrs, other
seeds and sand, and are not always safe
food for horses-while what is called
hay, but which is really straw, such as
the farmers even in California would
scorn to feed to their best horses,
costs no less than from thirty-six dollars
to thirty-eight dollars per ton. Those
who keep horses here, either for their own
use or hire, are forced from the want of
proper feed produced in the country to pay
the exhorbitant prices above stated for the
sustenance of their animals. They are OBJ
hged to do so from the fact that there is
no dependence whatever to be placed on
home supply of food for animals. Ger
tainly, there is limited supply of grass
to be had in Honolulu, which, by the way,
although better than that imported and
cheaper too, is still dear in proportion to
what they ought to purchase it at.
About Honolulu, not only at Waikiki
but in Nuuanu valley and at Palama and
kalihi abundance of excellent hay ought
to be produced for all the animals kept in
town, besides abundant pasturage for all
those kept in the vicinity including the
dairies which supply the town with milk.
As it is, those who keep horses in town
pay for native hay (when they can get it)
one cent per pound, while those who are
unable to purchase are obliged to pay for
the California straw from one cent and
three quarters to two cents per pound for
It. One costs twenty dollars per ton of
two thousand pounds, while the other
costs from thirty-fve to forty dollars for
he same amount. The former is suffici.
snt food for any horse which is not too
much used, while the latter in almost
every instance, where it is used, is cut ND
md mixed with grain and is fed for very
much the same purpose that chickens eat
gravel, namely, to help digest the food
hat really sustains and (if they get
'nough of it, fattens them
When we reflect upon the fact that
hese Islands have, in times past, not only
,roduced abundance of oats, but wheat
nough to supply the local demand with
considerable surplus for export, it seems
TRANCE that we should now be dependent
pom foreign and very expensive market
Dr. supplies We have seen very fair
rop of oats grown on the plains of Kula-
kahua, between Honolulu and Waikiki,
nd every body knows that excellent
Theat and oats have been raised at Maka- I,
Tao, Maui On the former place, it is to !
e acknowledged that to depend upon the
rodnction of good crops, is not certain
nd perhaps may be considered as hope j
IS, but in the latter locality nothing but ]
he apathy and want of enterprise of the ,
eOple prevents our getting our full sup :