The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1891-09-25
COFFEE AND TEA co.


A meeting of the Hawaiian Coffee
and Tea Co. was held yesterday at p.
NJ. at the Chamber of Commerce rooms.
The following gentlemen were present :
Mr.. Thos. May (President5, W. w. Hall
(secretary) ,Chas. ID. Miller, Mr.. Lewis of
Lewis & Co., Antoine Rosa, J F. Hack
field, F. A. Schaefer, Bruce Cartwright,
6. P. Castle, F. NJ. Swanzy, c. Nj.
Cooke, III. A. Widemann and VIM. O..
Lakeland.
The President stated that the meeting
had been called to enable Mr.. Miller to
make report and explain the condition
of the enterprise. The minutes of the
meeting of February I'd were read and
approved, after which Mr.. Miller read d
long report, including a statement of ac-
count and comparison of the expenses
with the estimates in the prospectus
MIR. Schaefer thought the accounts
showed that the expenses had just about
equalled the estimates.
Mr.. Miller said that if the trees were
set out six feet apart as in Ceylon, the
expenses would be reduced. He had
been told by gentleman of experience
that the soil of Kona was so rich that the
trees would grow too large to be set so
near together. The picking, however, in
the case of large trees would have to be
done with the aid of ladders which )uld
be more costly He would like to plant
some trees 6x6
Mr.. Schaefer explained the method
of planting In Guatemala. The question
was an important one.
Mr.. Miller, in response to a question
as to the probable yield, said the trees
would yield ID. each at the first bear
ing a years.. He could not commit
himself to the statement that the mature
trees would give lbs. apiece, but was
sure that the yield would be much
heavier than in Ceylon.
In response to inquiries by G. P.
Castle, Ar. Miller made some explain
atoms with regard to cutting the trees
after bearing. He thought it we'll to
plant some trees according to the Ceylon
plan, some as in Guatemala, and some
by a compromise between the different
methods.
Mr.. Schaefer said that as all were
aware, picking would be the most ex-
pensive part of the work. Twenty cents
per day was paid in Guatemala, but
there men, women and children worked
That class of population did not exist
here. II picking were made easier by
trimming the trees, that would be a
great advantage.
MIR. Widemann explained his expert
ence in coffee planting at Hanalei in
the fifties. The trees had grown very
there and born well. The
planting was six by seven and six by
eight.
Mr.. Miller said the coffee trees devel-
oped long sucker sometimes five or six
feet long running up from the root,
which was called a gourmandizer It
took the strength of the tree and was of
no use at all. Most of the trees in Kona
had them.
Bruce Cartwright inquired as to the
method of raising the plants in nurse
ries. 1t had been very much criticized.
Mr.. Miller said all the inhabitants of
Kona foreign as well as native were
opposed to it, and thought it utterly
crazy useless and wasteful. But they
knew nothing about t,having no expert
ence whatever. He had noticed clear
ing of Mr.. Paris planted with coffee
where almost all the trees were dead.
This was bound to be the case as plants
accustomed to dense shade would die
when suddenly transplanted into the
sun. The method he followed was to
make plants hardy by exposing them
gradually.
In answer to further questions Mr..
Miller said the plants should be set out
when a year old when they would be
twelve or fifteen inches high.
Mr.. Rosa said it would be good plan
to let Mr.. Miller set out two acres on the
plan usually practiced in Kona SO that
the inhabitants could be convinced, by
seeing the plants side by side, of the
advantages of starting them in nurseries.
Mr.. Hall said the idea was to. plant
different kinds of seed in different ways.
Bruce Cartwright thought the details
N these matters should be left to Mr..
Miller's judgment.
Mr.. Schaefer said that Guatemala
planter OF experience, Mr.. Van Nostitz,
had seen Mr.. Miller's work and APP
proved it. He thought it important that
he stockholders give expression to their
Iatifaction with Mr.. Miller.
Mr.. G. P. Castle said that when in
Aona different persons had told him Mr..
Mlller's method was a failure, but that
when he asked the question" Do you |
HAOW Oily ILiluS AUOuG COE00 planning r. |
he answer was always Ono" They had |
got the idea from the natives.
Mr.. Miller's report was accepted.
Mr.. Widemann moved that the stock
FOLDERS declare themselves satisfied with
hr. Miller's proceedings. Mr.. Van
Nostitz, who was a planter of many
ears experience, had told him that Mr..
diller was thoroughly competent man.
The motion was carried unanimously.
Mr.. Schaefer said the company con-
rolled about 800 acres of coffee land and
ould get more.
MIR. Miller thanked the stockholders
Or the confidence reposed in him and
aid he would use his best efforts and
bllity to make the enterprise success.
After some further desultorv discus
ion, the meeting adjourned.
Two specimens OF coffee were exhi-
TIED, one from an altitude of 1000 feet
nd the other about 2 900. The latter
ad an extraordinarily large bean, and
1r. Miller states that Mr. Van Nostitz
eclared 1t the finest specimen he had
yer seen.
The report showed that the affairs of
he company were in most prosperous
1pdition