The Hawaiian gazette., 1882-04-05

IL may l,e conceded that the cultivation
of sugar is our staple industry and that
the consideration 81 the best methods oi
growth. transportation. manufacture and
sale Of sugar is of paramount Importance
to us in these islands; but while admitting
thi, 10 be- the case. there is no reason why
other products suitable TO our climate and
soil should DE wholly overlooked Rice
production Is alno>, altogether in the
hands uf the Chinamau. and perhaps 1t Is
better that It be So. Coffee has over and
over again. from one causco other. proved
uuremunerativc The production OF silk
Is an expensive undertaking and liable 20
SO MANY causes ~ failure that lt can
hardly be recommended for trial Cocm
neal l.as In q great measure lost its value
by the introduction of many cheaper and
EQUALLY efficient dvcs. But amongst other
available resources perhaps the cultivation
of the cauNtchouc, or india rubber Tree
has hrrilv attracted the attention u dc
serves Tm, valuable article OF com
mcrcr. a- Is generally known. is the milky
mice of "A specie, of fix tree. This tree
under favorable circumstances may be
tapped within three 10 five wears from its
planting. and judiciously treated, Is not
DESTROYED. or even injured by the process
Of tapping. OF the enormous and ever
increasing adaptabilty of this substance
for a vast variety of uses. the proof may
be- found IN the fact that II is less than
fifty years ago that Goodyear. an Amcr-
can mechanic first discovered the method
of treating the crude material with sui
plIrr. and thus invented what is so widely
known as Vulcanitc. 4 few wears later
Hancock. OF Macintosh a Co. invented
the waterproof cloth known by the latter
name. In lSi9 Goodyear again came for
ward with a material which he named
Ebonite which Is now used for all sorts
OF domestic purposes from chairs and
tables TO combs and brush frames. In
1868 Henry Lee Norris. OF New York dis
covered method OF retaining the jmcc
in It's natural fluid state by treating with
liquid ammonia. Thus, as the scope OF
usefulness has been enlarged. and Is con
stantly increasing. the supply is falling
of from the wanton destruction If the
trees. by the gatherers Of the Amazon. Its
principal habitation. An article IN a re-
cent number of the Butia Tfad- JgVu0l
remarks: - Unless some means are speedily
taken toprevcnt the reckless destruction
Of the rubber trees. tins important and
now worldwide manufacture will be
greatly retarded owing TO the scarcity Of
raw material The great and growing
demand for india rubber has stimulated
the rubber hunters OF Central and South
America TO supply the same. but the re
suit Is. in their eageTness TO meet the
extra demands. they destroy the greater
portion Of the trees. In many places
where the trees were seemingly exhaust
less few wears ago. the forests have been
decimated. The result Is. that the gather
ers have to 20 further and further into the
interior and to the mountains for the
present supply. Unless the Government
OF Colombia and South American States
do something for the protection and pro
pagation of this valuable tree. the export
of raw rubber from these countries viii
cease in few years" Here then Is an
uuportunity which ought not TO be thrown
away. How many Of our plantations have
warm. moist. sheltered hooks inaccessible
il may be 10 the pillow or cane carrier, |
where 81 few score rubber trees might be
planted. and with scarce any attention. Il !
few years hence be yielding a revenue |
which. cost for cost. would far Uutstrlp the |
sugar cane itself: the crude rubber l. /
worth 50 cents per pound i'll New York.
Paper-making material is also OF im |
mense value and not very expensive TO raise. !
Esparto Is a grass grown mostly in North |
ern Africa. and OF this. Great Britain |
alone takes 100000 tons per annm. Since /
the difficulties in Tunis with the French |
the export from Oran has wholly ceased. |
many thousand acres of EspartO grass |
have been thrown out Of cultivation. and |
the dispossession of European cultiyators, /
mostly Spanish. viii greatly reduce the
Weld for many wears to come. EspaltO is |
worth in English ports &C 20 g. per ton |
I'm Louisiana the b0awsl. OF cane trash. is |
saved and sold to paper makers; as much |
as 100000 tons of paper fibre is drawn
from this source. Jutc Is another iibrOus |
product Of a coarspr nature with yearly |
increasing consumption: this Is grown |
mostly in the northwestern provinces of |
India Ramic may be cultivated here /
but hitherto no efficient machinery fer |
utilizing il has been introduced Cork /
trees. Qatrras SUtar. are immensely remu- |
nerative, but require long period Of |
growth before they are fit for the first |
stripping. they. however, thrive IN poor |
mountainous districts. and require little |
or no attention when once started. The |
Cinchona, the bark OF which Yields quin- |
inc. may be classed with the cork as TO !
ultimate though not immediate returns |
Each Of these valuable products Of the
vegetable kingdom are within our reach |
in these islands and they for the most l
part require but little skill or attention
until their produce is available for the
market