The Hawaiian gazette., 1890-10-14
Letter from Puma, Hawaii.

MIR EDITOR HAVING just re-
turrA,d from San Francisco, was,
must say, very much disappointed
to hear that the bill to the Legis-
lature petitioning for a wagon road
through Puma had fallen through,
from the committee being unable to
obtain information on the matter
and their lack of knowledge of the
district, its wants and capabilities.
In the course of a number of
years during which l have resided
in Puma, l have shown different
parties the country and land here
abouts, who were interested in the
subject Of coffee culture some Of
them were experts, and their unani-
nous opinion has been that for
soil, climate and rainfall, Puma pre-
sents every natural requirement for
the successful cultivation of the
article that must in the near future
be one of our leading exports.
Puma coffee is admitted to be sur
passed by none, and the raising of
1t is beyond an experiment, as
there are trees all over the district,
and some are known to be forty
seyon years old, growing wild, as
healthy as could be wished Mr..
Forsyth admitted that he never
saw healthier in any part of the
world. and their yield has been,
TO my certain knowledge, amaz-
ingly heavy for uncultivated trees
When l take note of the amount
of money so literally appropriated
for many objects not nearly so i'm
gortant to the country at large
fast at this stage, cannot think
that if this matter was properly
investigated and reported on, there
is not a man in the Legislature who
would vote against the bill. There
are enough Government lands IN
the district to pay for the road
twice over.
Five thousand dollars have been
recommended by the committee, l
understand, for survey and cutting
bush line; but $500 would be all
sufficient. as one can see for miles
right straight ahead on the pro-
posed line of road. Twill guarantee
to take any practical man over the
line and do 1t in q day, from the
Volcano road at Kukula to the
head of my road, three and a half
miles up from the beach at Po-
hoiki. a distance of twenty-seven
and a half miles from Hilo by the
Government road, and from about
fourteen to sixteen miles on the
proposed new line of road.
4 company of natives have
planted about thirty acres on the
Catholic Mission lands, and Capt.
Rlderts about fifteen acres of coffee
oil this proposed line of oad,which
when grown cannot be got away
short Of ten mile pack. 1 myself
am about putting in fifty acres in
the vicinity, but am perfectly in
dependent of getting my coffee
away. as I have a fine wagon road
of nay own from my place to my
landing, so in this matter have no
axe to grind further than any ma
tive in the district would be inter-
ested in having a good and shorter
route of travel.
/ feel pretty certain myself that
coffee plantations would follow up
this road right straight from Hllo,
and YOU know what that means to
the country, Mr.. Editor, as well as
I. Twenty-Five thousand people
could easily be employed in the
cultivation Of coffee in Puma, and
not be overcrowded. The district
is large, and in many parts Cup
from the beach, very rich. All
could not be reached, CT course, the
first two years, but sixteen miles
of road would open up vast
amount of good country now lying
useless, and the next stretch of road
would lead into even richer and
better parts, down below toward
Kalapana. The best kind of bounty
20 the coffee industry, in my opin-
Son, would be good roads in the
coffee districts.
? Mr.. O'Dowda, gentleman who
thoroughly understands coffee cul-
ture, and has had extensive expert
.ence in Ceylon, has lately visited
Puma for the purpose of looking at
coffee lands. l have not met the
gentleman since, or learned his
opinion, but would like to hear it
through the columns Of your valu-
able paper, that all may share.
Respectfully yours,
r. RYCRoFT.