The Hawaiian gazette., 1881-03-02
Rorl1 BorAx1o GARDENS, MAuR1T1Us.


NrssBs Castle & COOKE Honolulu, II. L
El-rr Slrs ~ duly received your favor dated
July 3rd. lSS0. and Sas sorry to learn OF the De
sz=su-aiion OF the Lahaina cane with you. The
cause. too much wet and cold, which YOU attribute
tins is sufficient 10 account fer It, as continual
tcn q cold. wet cloudy weather during the period
when she canes were rIpeuing, would Prevent the
formation Of saccharine IN the Juices OF the plant
I'm like cases here. the planters simply stop crush
ing for q time. and allow the canes 20 get month
or fro Of sul.shinv weather, which improves the
juice ot the cane.
Perhaps there may have been another cause-but
you g. not mention it-namely, the exhaustion Of
the sod by Close and too frequent cropping For
tins ruuno and some kinds OF artificial manures
are usea here. But resting abe land for periods OF
several yesrs az a time and pasturlng cattle on II,
and applying good cattle yard manure to the canes
are far better-for permanent results-tlan many
81 the above mauures. These act as stimuiants,
and as such they are useful at certain epOcns N
the growth % the cane hui they do not return 10
she sod the things which heavy crop OF cane
takes out of If. We're ! a planter. i would only
use them combined with cattle yard manure, AID
apply them 30 tht cane at the time when the young
cauas mad formed stools, and were ready TO elon-
gate having previously formed the base Of what
was o. be the future cane. The cane here IS sub
lect = several diseases. In one OF these, after
certain period OF growth the leaves become white.
Another Is that the leaves become short and rigid
like those uf a bamboo. and the cane almost ceases
90 grow. For these there Is no cure that can be
applied on large scale; and the only thing 10 be
&
The cause j. probably owing 10 the roots taking up
matter which cannot be digested by the leaves
and the FIRST would appear TO be an absence OF
chluruphyl Iu the plant OF that the plant from
some cause Loses al certain period Of Its age, the
power - nssimiating il from other bodies
fhruuuh the action Of the planters on the govern
rneut 81 this colony, very large variety OF canes
have beeR introduced into II from other countries,
NOTABLY from Java. New Caledonia. FIJI. and the
Hawaiian Islands and POLYNESIA IN general.
some intelligent person has been sent 70 collect
and forward these 10 this place On their arrival
here. they are plar,ted ON a suitable bit OF land,
and propaCated dc. under a responsible person.
When q sufficient number Of a variety is propa-
cssed- the canes are then sold to the panters-sO
many 10 each estate, and whatever number may
be left over 70 the first planter that comes for
them. This sale is TO defray expenses Of intro
0uciiun and propagation. The government adj
Tauues the money. and Is repaid 10y sales OF new
KINGS u canes introduced.
Your labor vessels might bring you many sorts
from al tho islands in Polynesia, which they visit
On the windward side Of this island canes grow
well uu 90 an elevation Of about 500 feet above
the sss and on the leeward. OF dry side, 10 about
$50 feet above the level Of the sea. In such
places plant canes take about two years OF thirty
mouths 20 reach maturity, and ratoons about
e1hteen months 10 two years. In these localities
tie thermometer. IN the cool season. descends 10
abou. 49, or % : Fab. az night. with day tenn
parature u frosu 62- 10 - in the shade.
] VIII take opportunity OF a vessel Tor ~ ney
u sud vou a case Of the best sugar yielding canes
Of tins country. In the mean time, ! Will be
Obliged II YOU would kindly send me, through
sample post. about one pound Of seeds of the Al
Caruba tree. acacia algyrobal, which grows
Yours most respectfully,
JoHN HORNE.