The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1880-04-24
Office

The cultivation of coffee on the these Islands i
an industry which attracts but little attention from
those who wish to engage in agricultural pursuits;
when perhaps, the industry in many parts of our
Island Kingdom may remunerate the planter more
satisfactorily than the cultivation of sugar cane,
when he has attained the proper altitude and a sit
nation fitted for the growth of this plant.
1t is generally supposed that coffee requires a
dry and rocky soil, and under this supposition many
have commenced the cultivation of coffee and
failed, through the appearance OF blight and gradual
decay of the tree. One of the districts on these
Islands suited in every respect for coffee culture is
Hamakua, Hawaii, which contains a rich soil, COM
posed of volcanic and vegetable matter, sufficient
rain and a fine climate. Here at an elevation of
from 1900 to 1000 feet, coffee will give a large yield,
and the planter need not fear that in a year or two
his estate may be ruined by either the black or the
white blight.
Coffee requires a rich and deep soil a black loan
and a subsoil of ~decUmposed lava (Which is found
here) will answer the requirements admirably.
MI. Z. C p. Hull, a planter in Ceylon, who has
had many years experience in the cultivation Of
coffee. in speaking about soil says
. The question of soil is one which admits OF a
good deal of discussion, though this may not be
made a primary difficulty OF. by any one about to
open an estate of ordinary dimensions. Commonly
speaking when the soil is dark in colour, loose, and
full OF roots, it is rich in organic matter and there
fore good for coffee, which is a hardy plant not on
the whole difficult to please in this particular. . =
The best criterion. however, as to the quality of
the soil, is the righteousness or otherwise of the
vegetation it produces in its original state"
Coffee in Hamakua will come to maturity at from
three to four years, probably bearing a crop of
from two to three pounds per tree. l have beard
however, on good authority, that as high as ten or
twelve pounds have been picked from a single tree,
neither can it be doubted. seeing the prospects at
present. on trees only four years old.
IL is a novel sight to see blossoms. berries half
formed aud ripe coffee, on the same tree at once:
nevertheless. il is the case in Hsmakua all the
wear round. This occurs at an elevation of from
i5OO to 1000 feet, which | believe to be a proper
altitude for the coffee culture on these Islands.
By planting at lower elevations the tree has a
sickly yellow appearance, and invariably is at
tackled with the black blight. Parties who have
coffee planted which Is troubled with this disease
might Gnd the following recipe OF great utility in
staying its progress Sponge the parts affected
with a mixture ofsOft soap, tobacco, tar and spirits
Of turpentine in about equal quantities.
Those who desire to engage in coffee culture
would do we'll to bear in mind, that a hot dry situ-
alton can not give the same satisfaction as one
which is blessed with copious showers Of rain all
the year around. and a rich soil. possessing neither
the FAlItueS u uCal VI NOAhs ~ ddNdutdEt,
which l deem to be of value TO the planter. Is, that
in Hamakua, he will not need so much labor as in
districts where the crop ripens at once for in this
district three or four men can pick a coffee grove
Of 10, 600 trees all the year round and when not
engaged in gathering the crop. they can employ
their time in wedding, etc, whereas, on the other
hand. the planter would require a large gang of
pickers perhaps at the very time when their ser
vices would be difficult TO procure. thereby losing
bali. IL not the whole crop.
The cultivation OF coffee will assuredly be a sue
cess in Hamakua district. where sufficient shade
can be procured, and as to its quality not being
equal to the quality of Kona coffee, that remains
to be proved.
Concerning the quality of Hamakua and Kona
coffee, / may remark, that in Kona, the crop is not
picked before being thoroughly ripe whilst in
Hamakua all the coffee hitherto exported has been
raised by natives, who gather the berries before
they are ripe and fit for market hence arises a
wide difference in the quality of coffee grown in
the two districts. Another difference may be at
tributed to Hamakua coffee, as a rule, being sent
into market almost perfectly green whereas, age
as we well know improves its quality to a remark
able degree.
Thus it will be seen. that on these accounts
Hamakua and other parts of the Island have here
tofore had II disadvantage in comparing their cof-
fee produce with kona. 4. ;. L.