Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1885-04-11

and presumably would not differ materially
from the commencement. The are now taking
off their twenty first crop. There IS no
cane irrigated in Kohaia. "Dy seasons
come TO Kohsla as well as to all other sections
Of the island; but, generally, the rainfall IS
suffieien, to insure average crops
IT'S CANE AND SUGAR TRANSPORTATION.
Three Of the Kohala mills have most Of
their cane brought to the grinding rolls in
fumes, supplied with water by the various
gulches. Fluming is the best and most mex.
pensive method Of cane transportation, not
withs,anding the heavy expense Of hume build.
ing. II is an open question whether the three
mills whose cane is all carted to the ROLLERS
would be justified in bringing water from so
great a distance as would be required, aAd over
so broken a country as must be followed, ia
order to nume all their upland cane. But
while opinions differ as to the practicability Of
such action, all with whom | conyersed agreed
as to the advantages Of huming-as a system.
On the Kohala plantation what are called
"uaSion" or TRACTION" engines are used.
They are, in effect locomotive wagons, run.
ming well on smooth roads, and fairly well on
dry and comparatively level, roads but OF
little use on broken ground, steep grades OF
wet soil. Mule and bullock wagons carry
most Of the cane not fumed.
The Kohala Railway and the steamer Kinau
carry most Of the Kohaia sugar to Honolulu.
One plantation sends its sugar to Honolulu
from its landing by schooner.
Although sugar is the great Kohala staple,
and though II seems 50 to be almost to the ex.
clusion of other industries, the resources Of the
community are extensive and varied. Pololu
valley produces rice and taro, irrigated taro is
grown in many of the gulches and in few
favored upland spots, and dry or upland taro
is grown in many places The community
rides on horseback almost to a man-cxclusive
Of the poorest among the laborers. Both
European and native women ride in visiting,
shopping and church going. As a result the
Kohaia saddle horses, though small if judged
by American OF English standards, are good
looking, wiry, spnghty and well broken
animals. The Kohala Chinese ride habitually.
On one occasion l met a cavalcade numbering
fully twenty, riding like American school boys
homeward bound-with just about as much
jolli,y and just abou, as much sense.
The plantation animals, numbering some
hundreds Of mules and Of yoke oxen, look well
bred and well cared for. Compared with
animals of like employment in Mexico the
Kohala stock is in all respects superior; and
would compare not unfavoraby with like stock
in California. Some attention has been paid
by Kohalans of late years TO stock breeding,
including mich cows for private darying, and
swine and poultry. There is Of course much
room for improvement; but the beginning is
satisfactory.
Frui, culture is in its infancy. 1t is quite
idle for brief observer to speculate upon the
possibilities OF the region in that line, because
what has so far been done is so contradictory.
Most OF the best land has so far been too valu.
able for cane to admit Of fruit culture expert.
ments, and most Of the best land also is too
continuously windswept TO make the expert.
ment practicable. excep, at some expense and
time in planting trees as wind breaks. In one
or two situations orange trees so planted and
sheltered have yielded large quantities Of good
| fruit. In other situations similarly situated
| orange trees have failed. Gulch planting has
yielded good fruit in oranges, mangoes, alligator
pears, and other fruits, but has been unpro-
tiable because Of the cost Of picking and the
danger of that almost everywhere endemic
moral disease, fruit stealing.
The natural resources Of the district tinclud-
ing imported plants now growing wildly are
many; Guavas, breadfruit, coffee, pine apples,
bananas, mangoes, papias, sumach lneneleau),
ii, ava, noni, pandanus, mamaki, pull ferns,
pill grass and Though rare) olona.
Nencleau Is so like the American sumach as
TO be easily mistaken for it, Chemical tests
have shown that its leaves are rich in tanuin.
Many American boys will remember the
Sumach picking of their boyhoods. The leaves
were picked with short stems just as the tree
came to flower. The leaves were dried, 'cured, !"
as hay is cured. Afterwards it was ground
and was then ready for use. II made good
leather, though no, SO good as the Sicily sum.
ach which was worth in Boston, ground,
from $50 to 500 per ton. Even granting that
the sumach Of the Kohala hills land i, grows
in places all around the island) is as valuable
as the Mediterranean variety, there would
have to be cheaper labor-children's labor--M
hand to make gathering 1t for export possible.
But il experiment shall prove tina, it makes
| superior leather there is no reason texcept
lack Of cheap labor why these islands canno,
tan many Of the hides they now export, and
| at profit
Pandanus (puhala) used to be the natives
mos, valuable tree. The trunks uprights for
houses the branches were used for raiters /;
the twigs bound the frame work together the
leaves made mats and siding and thatch--when
pill grass was not obtainable the ripening
| fruit made orange colored leis and the ripened
nuts were eaten. Now the pandanus is neg.
lected. and is an oddly picturesque but scarcely
beautiful feature Of the Kohs,a landscape. in
gulches and along some parts OF the bluffs,
particularly SO near Multi.
The ii plant llai) is useful II rot ornamental.
Il is--as every island reader knows-,he true
Hawaiian basket fruit, FISH, poi and mea,
being alike carried in il every day Of the year.
The root contains much sugar, in syrup
form Whether ii syrup could be graduated
has never been determined. Whether the
plant could be cultivated and the root made
10 produce sugar in paying Quantities, is worth
more than passing thought Il grows al
present on the rocky sides Of gulches, for the
4
mos, paft--ai least in Kohala. OF course the
labor Of digging the roots would proven, profit,
able sugar production from il, no matter how
rich in sugar. II the plan, could be cultivated
ia the deep rich soil Of a lowland field, aston.
ishing results sigts be reached. Al any rate
1 ar .xpetiu.n, x.ooA ~, h. .s..,t..l