The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1889-10-07
KONA, HAWAII.
A Region of Superb Climate and Excel
lent but UndeveIoped Resources.

AAo]AA AolohuO3 WHICH, tIIcy NdtlG W 0A0up-
lily the perfection of climatic conditions,
are almost certain to point to Kona, the
region lying on the west or leeward side
OF Hawaii, the largest and furthest south
OF the group. The mildness of its eli
mate is phenomenal. Storms and tenn
pests there are none. Old residents,
speak of the "southerly blows we used
to have;" but to the malihini as the
natives call the later immigrant, storms
are unknown. Variations in tempera-
ture are scarcely perceptible the year
round, except to persons OF very delicate
mould. Midsummer heat rarely touches
the nineties, while midwinter cold which
is felt only during the night and the early
hours of the day, is very similar to the
temperature of a September morning in
the latitude of 40 deg. A prominent
citizen of one of the cities on the Atlantic
coast, on being informed by an intend
ing emigrant to the Hawaiian Islands of
his purpose to fit, remarked: "Well,
you are going to the sweetest climate in
the world" This opinion is frequently
Endorsed by round-the-world tourists,
who stop off to do the inter-ocean King
dom and more especially it's celebrated
volcano. And it goes without saying
that in mildness and equability of tenn
perature the choicest spot in this para
disc of the Pacific" is Kona, Hawaii.
The surface of Kona, like the most of
the island, is mountainous and of vol
canic origin. The people, with few ex-
ceptions, are found residing near the sea
beach and along the slopes of the noun
tains at elevations ranging from twelve
hundred to fifteen hundred feet above
sea level. The scoria from Mauna Loa,
1860 feet high, the central volcanic
peak of the island and from Hualalai,
1925 feet high, an extinct crater sum-
NIT in the northern part of the district,
is for the most part covered with dense
masses of tropical vegetation, heavy
timber and ferns being the prevailing
growths. Old lava flows, from the
mountains to the sea, can be distinctly
traced, forming ridges OF what is known
as clinker. These clinker lands, covered
with forest and masses of underground,
make f1rst-class coffee plantations, the
only preparation of the soil that is re-
Quired being the clearing away of the
underground and thinning out the forest
so as to give the coffee plant the proper
degree of shade. Kona coffee knows no
superior anywhere. A hourishing coffee
plantation is carried on near Kealakekua
Bay, and the additional areas that might
be turned in for the same purpose are
practically unlimited.
Diversified industries have, so far,
been pursued in Kona more by being let
severely alone than otherwise. That
the lower slopes of the mountains are
not covered with fields of coffee, sugar
cane, corn, bananas, millet and many
other products is not owing to disadvan-
tages of soil and climate. The reverse
has been fully demonstrated in num-
erous ventures, all on small scale, in
these directions. In every instance
where cultivation of the articles named
has been attended to, the results have
been highly satisfactory. The corn
patches now in progress are not inferior
in any respect, except dimensions, to
the corn areas of Michigan, Ohio or Hi
nois. The crops of the corn States
count one per annum, but in Kona, two
crops a year can be raised as we'll as
one, the only question with the producer
being the question of exhaustion of the
soil which of course has to be guarded
against in all agricultural operations.
Figures submitted to the planters at
their meeting in October last in Homo
lulu show total of $40, 1878 worth OF
corn imported into the kingdom during
the preceding year. 1t is difficult to
conceive any sound reason why the
greater portion of this corn might not be
raised in the Kona district alone, other
than that the period of progressive In
dustry and enlightened enterprise in the
regions is only biding its time.
Sugar cane, the great staple OF the
Hawaiian Islands, may be said to have
reached this part of the islands only to a
very limited extent, That sugar cane
can be raised is proven by the most un-
mistakable of all evidence, namely, that
it has grown we'll and is now growing
finely where it has been planted. Small
areas planted at different times and al
various points, have given as good results
as could be desired. A small plantation
was worked few years ago by Capt. VIM
Hughes, and yielded handsome profits
| on the planters outlay, although his
| mill was of the crudest pattern, being
| run by horsepower, and his boiling ap
paratus an old sorghum kettle. Hughes
carried on his little plantation for some
time until he found it necessary to pro
cure additional land, but not being able
to come to terms with the proprietor o
the lands adjoining, abandoned the bust
ness. Another plantation situated a
the head of Kealakekua Bay and about
a mile from the former, was started b.
brothers of the name of Logan, abou
twenty wears ago, and was given up OF
account of the high duties and the low
price of sugar at the time in San Fran
cisco.
A new departure has been made il
sugar cane within the past year at he
lualoa above Kailua. A company hold
a large tract of land and has commence
operations. A good start has been mad
in the planting of over one hundred
acres of cane, which is now in a thrivin
condition. The crop indications, SO far
are excellent and all that seems to b
needed to convert the slopes of Holualo
into hive of productive industry is tn
expansion of the areas already planted
This, owing to the land not being prev
ously cultivated, will require time.
The planting of sugar cane on tn
small farm basis is being agltated b.
several landholders. A general move II
this direction will prove OF lmmens
advantage to the district, as well as
the individual cultivaters. Whethe
| Ill loT nd n q