Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1885-05-16
The 1asftn Cane Cuitirotor.

The Aasftn Cane C.itic0tor.
EDITOR SATURDAY PREss--SD. have
always noted, and so, I suppose, have all
sugar growers. tina, all cultivators thus far
presented to us are totally inadequate TO the
requirements Of our heavier cultivation and
entirely impracticable for use in the first and,
in some places, for the second workings of
young cane. This is due mainly to two
reasons: first, that they are made to work
on the surface, acting more as pnilt,J Of weeds
than fnhier,: second, they are SO light as to
skip over such weeds as the Hilo grass, homo.
homo and herce.growing male, leaving them in
the main unrooted as before; and again, all
cultivators that have come under my observa.
ton are made in the v shape, and consequently
throw all Jumps from them and into the row Of
cane, which, If they do not kill quantities Of
cane, at least, have to be pulled out again.
Careful farming, therefore, requires that the
first and, where vegetation is unusually rank,
that the second working Of young cane be
done entirely by hand ; and it is usually not
deemed wise to introduce cul,ivators until the
cane is Of sufficien, size to admit of the use Of
a small pillow.
The recognition Of these facts led to the
following deductions, 1. e., that, could an i'm.
plement be obtained that would cultivate cane
from the time it was planted until it was covered
in, without injury to the cane, great saving
would be made, not only in hand labor but in
taar t,,t,t ,L..
such an implement must be constructed SO as
to cut the roots Of weeds from under the sur
face rather than pull them from above; also, to
disturb the surface of the soil in the least
possible degree so as to prevent Jumps and
dirt from being thrown into the cane row.
|. These deductions led to experiments resulting
in success, producing the complete "Austin
Cultivator now working in the Onomea
Sugar Company's fields; which, it has been
proved, sVW enihipate zane from the time tie
seed is put into TIC ground until il is unsafe
for animals TO enft,.M This may be assisted
by light cultivators in the last working, but it
is no. necessary. 1t will be perceived, thcre.
| fore, that now all the hand work required is
merely cleaning out the hill of cane, and killing
up when necessary, thus scoring saving of
from IS to 80 per cent upon the entire cul.
tiVation Of cane prior to the first stripping.
The construction Of this implement is ex.
ceedingly simple. 1t may be operated by the
most ignorant teamster who can handle a
mule. 1t is composed Of three fiat shoe cutters
Of triangular shape, set with sufficient, pitch to
enter the ground and remain at depth OF
abou, inches. These are connected with the
frame by thin knife-edged leg which passes
through the ground, holding the shoe under
without disturbing the surface. The heel OF
each side shoe laps slightly, in the line OF
draft, the heel Of the hind shoe thus making
the cut continuous. The right hand side
cutter, unlike the other cutters, which are
equal-sided triangles, presents only half the
blade, or a single triangle, and the standard
leg is made in continuation Of blade and ex-
tending to the point, thus leaving fiat surface
to the cane with the cutting blade on the
reverse side. This enables the cutivator to
work within two or three inches Of the cane
without fear Of cutting ii. This side cutter i,
adjustable, and may be raised or lowered a
the depth of the fuHow may require In from,
of the side cutters, and in line with the point
Of the hind cutter, is placed rolling coulter te
steady the whole and to divide the sod for The
standard or knife edged leg Of the hind cutie,
} that follows in its wake. The frame tina
carries these cutters stands ~ inches from III,
ground, thus having sufficient clearance be
meath. The cutters are attached to this il
( such manner as To be adjustable, so that IL i
is thought necessary to mellow the soil deeper
. as in blowing, they may be set more deepl,
| in the ground.
. The mule is attached upon an Offset, so tina
thrown in close to the cane or kept out, as tn
. case may require. There is detached guard
made Of light sheet.iIon, that may be attache,
, behind the right hand side shoe and extending
, back to line with the heel Of the hind shoe
to proven, large Jumps which may have beeI
turned by the furrow pillow from rolling bacl
/ into the cane row on the first working. Tn
entire conirivance IS built Of iron and--thougl
I lights braced in every possible way 10
: strength and durability. Il presents TO the sol
over six feet Of knife-edged cutting surfac
q placed at such angles and in such position a
! to be an easy draft for q fair-sized Californi
mule, and will completely work up az inche
/; OF land in its path. So that twice going in
c raw, where the burrows do not exceed six lee
T. apart, completes the cultivation.
1 Feeling that this cultiva,or will become
. great helpto all planters in the islands, as
!. has already proved on the Onomea estate.
c am making arrangements cor its manufacture
h and hope soon to be able to put them upon tn
h market at fairly reasonable rates. Yours truly
4 FRANK II. AvsTE.
. onomea. Hilo, Hawai-. April 90, soSs-
1.-THE editor Of the Press 10 seen the above
y described culivators in operation. and is sati,
J. fed that they well deserve the attention {
. canaHo~ers throughout the islands. IN
. macl Z will doubtless he on exhibition at IN
: next agricultural fair. In the meanwhile
planters visiting iilo ough, to see il at work.
y News was received BY the last steamer {
6 Mrs. Van Slyke. wife Of the newly appoin,e
!. Professor Of chemis,ry and Applied Science ,
Oahu College She sss young woman {
4 rare personal gifts and accomplishment, oh
. wouId have added sssakly 10 The pleasant =