The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1872-05-11

Win fel1 Suggestions TOR Improving Us Culture
WIN q Ui.rs IF rendering is Production i" the
HaUaiiaa Kin9do,a Profitable and Success
f,d Enterprise 10 the Manufacturer and Source
Of EinpIoyaert for tie Native Population.
That the success of this enterprise on the Pacific
coast is fraught with considerable damage to the
commerce Of the Hawaiian Kingdom, must be ad-
mitted. The demand for sugar will cease in the
sarne proportion as the quantity produced at the
coast Increases for the very reason that the latter
article will De cheaper. And as the manulactur-
ing interest the islands is in very fourishing
condition at the present time it is easy to imag-
inc what the inevitable consequences must be
unless strong efforts are made to combat the inn
pending danger. Lake causes produce like effects;
we presume that the duty on sugar from the
cane will make it impossible to produce it and
sell it as cheap beet sugar, that is, after
paying freight charges on the former. 1t was
this caused tie serious depression among the
West India planters and merchants some years
since indeed the still operates there, rem
dering sugar trade even with the aid of the most
complicated machinery but a precarious industry
at best. If 1t is so the question naturally arises:
Can the manufacture of sugar be made more
profitable than it is, and the expense of produc-
ton Iessened? In our humble opinion, it can be-
The next inquiry that will present itself is From
what source2 We answer: The beet root And
the r4odus oPerGndi by which this result can be
attained Is the main subject of this paper.
In spite of sll that may be said or written 20
the contrary the fortunes of the Kingdom are on
the wane and unless 90 brought up with a round
turn" her trade, but recently so prosperous, will
fade entirely her people become impoverished
and the future of the - islands - vague indeed
However unpleasant these reflections NAV be, who
can deny the truth in view of existing cireum-
stanees3 The height of prosperity in commercial
affairs consequent upon the ships of the Arctic
whaling feet resorting to different ports in the
Kingdom for supplies reached many years
90, and has gradually declined as the fleet has
sen re5aced in strength. The retrograde move
ment has received impetus by the recent disaster
in the Arctic Ocean, and notwithstanding that
those who, from various reasons. mercenary or
otherwise seek to spread abroad the impression
that the commercial interests of the islands was
not damaged thereby; that it but "a trile
air. its paral yzing effect is visible in the
49, = of HOnoialu and on the faces Of the mer-
chants.
That the whaling feet, now reduced to a small
number of ships, will in future rendezvous in San
Francisco or at least those not sailing under the
Hawaiian flag, is a settled fact And it is but
reasonable to infer that such arrangement will
be made, as the facilities offered at the latter |
port for transferring oil and reshipping officers
and crews are obviously superior to those at the
- islands
Already one of the recently established ocean
steamship lines calling at Honolulu has ceased to
exist Although the Guano Island trade has /
done much for Honolulu, and materially aided |
and does still aid her commerce and prosperity it |
alone is insufficient. What then is to be the |
support OF the nation? An ocean telegraph line |
as proposed? Ii were pure fallacy to suppose |
this would revive its fortunes. Something must |
then be done it the commercial status of the |
Hawaiian Kingdom is To be maintained. There /
is no prophetic crOak about this. 1t is a stern /
logical fact. In the present crisis then, it be-
hooves all interested IN the ultimate welfare of |
Hawaii nei to spare effort to introduce new
enterprises and that will enrich the land and
at the same time afford employment to her pop
ulation, native and foreign. Turn the indomta- !
BILE energy, skill and capital now in the Kingdom |
into legitimate channels, and prosperity must, in
the natural order Of things, eventually the
climate is sufficiently moderate and uniform to
scfmfT almost any plant to thrive iuxuriantly ; I
provided always, that judicious care aud watch
fulness Is exercised over it's culture.
If the manufacture OF beet sugar is profitable
in AlTaradO, California, it would be emnently SO
in the Hawaiian Kingdom, where labor is cheap
Bu- it will be urged more sugar is produced now
than we well dispose of at remunerative |
.prces that may be so, but nevertheless If it be |
demonstrated that sugar from the beet root can
be manufactured with much less waste, at a less !
expense, and withal be equal in appearance to l
that produced from the cane, is this not a sufh- /
cient reason to abandon the more costly process /
1t would naturally seem so. The change would .
not involve any serious outlay. The machinery 1
now in use on the various plantations may, with |
some slight modification, be made available for i
the beet process, and the culture of the root be |
carried on simultaneously with that of the cane
and yet not occupy any more land than at present
devoted TO cane culture, which in itself is entitled
To the serious consideration of land-hoders. Ii |
may also be urged, that the soil and situation is
not suited for beet growing. We shall anticipate /
this, and it is to refute Just such argument |
that we have written. Not only is it our firm |
opinion that the sugar beet can be cultivated |
with profit at the islands, but assert that it |
can be produced in the highest state of perfection
by complying with certain conditions pointed at I
by nature and revealed by chemical investigation.
The rules of a system of rational agriculture |
teach US to afford to each plant the clements re- /
quired for the attainment Of certain object /
IN view. The general object being TO produce /
certain qualities In certain plants, particular
parts organs Of such plants and as the attain
ment OF this result Is conditional on precautions /
TO be taken or the application of substances
known to produce the qualities desired. We must /
consider IN the first place the conditions TO be /
eOmplIed-wTth; the precautiOn necessary in order /
90 produce the most perfect Development of the |
only variety that should be cultivated for this |
purpose is tine - white Silesian,' of which there /
are four kinds, the best being a small, pear
shaped root, averaging from six to eight pounds
weight. 1t contains larger proportion of juice |
than any other; it Is very pure, and the density
of which ranges from 70 to 90 Baume. The ab-
sence of alkaline salts and other objectionaI sub
stances in its pulp enables it to res putrefac-
ton, so that when the roots arrive maturity |
they can be cut into small pieces, dried and .
transported any distance without any perceptible
loss Of substance. This variety may be known
by its smooth white skin, and light yellow centre
with eOncentric rings of pale red. The French |
distinguish this variety BY the term coHef rose,
and seeds most easily obtained from Southern
France, and must be procured from reliable par
ties, great danger and Inconvenience will result
from a fraudulent admixture Of inferior seeds.
The next best variety is the 4" Quedlinburg,"
having faint pink skin and pure white pulp.
IL. .I.- L l.