The Hawaiian gazette., 1891-01-13
RAILROADS AND PRODUCE.


of what might be the fruits made
of this Kingdom. On Monday we
quoted a paragraph from the
United States Government crop
bulletin of November last referring
to the scanty fruit crop of 1890 IN
the Eastern and middle states, and
the immense revenue realized in
consequence by the fruit growers
of California. We should be glad
to enlist the attention of possible
fruit growers in this country by
showing what has been done and
what is already anticipated by
those of Jamaica.
In an article in the Nineteenth
Century for October last, written
by no less an authority than His
Elk. Sir Henry A Blake, Governor
of Jamaica, entitled the Awaken
ing of JamaIca," we find the follow
ing remarks on the subject of the
cultivation of fruit for export, every
word of which is applicable to these
islands.
Of the banana Sir Henry says
that this fruit is the principal ex-
port at present, the value of the
fruit exported having risen "from
100000 to 9337, 600 within ten
years, and the demand is likely to
continue" 1.-The value of the ba-
mana as food for working men has
been recognized in the United
States, and 1t is found peculiarly
sustaining for those engaged in
heavy labor in warm situations,
such as blacksmiths and iron
founders. The operators in cotton
factories also use it largely" x
& Jamaica bananas are now being
exported to Hamburg via New
York, but the trade is only in its
infancy"
"To day." he says, "mangoes
are not considered exportable." In
the season tons on tons of mangoes
rot by the roadside, every man,
woman and child in the country
roads is eating them, ETC., and yet
in its unripe state it makes excel
lent jelly, and some day a mango
trade will become an accomplished
fact"
Sir Henry adds, " the extention
of the railroad through the center
of the island will enhance
the value of lands hitherto neg
lected, and an annual expendi-
ture for the Improvement of paro-
chial roads will still further assist
in the rapid extension of the banana
trade"
Here, do we not already see the
Oahu railway making neglected
lands more valuable, bringing pro-
duce from the fields direct to the
waterside, where sea gong ships
may load, and if for Oahu, why not
for Hawaii? Surely we have had
lessons enough even within the last
month. Island steamers three
weeks making a one weeks trip
because of a long series of landings
accessible only in fine weather, and
yet which might, and must be,
connected by rail. Hilo full of
coasters unable to move, mills
awaiting machinery and ships
awaiting cargo, whole family en-
quilted by the capsize of boat in
one of these dangerous landings
and only widow and orphaned
boy left of a family of seven. Some
years hence, the fewer the better,
people will listen with incredulity
to the stories of machinery, pro-
duce and passengers, landing and
leaving by cages lifted by cranes,
and this for years.
Then they will see trains loaded
with sugar, tea, coffee, bananas,
rasins and a dozen other products
rushing to Hilo, there to be shipped
10 Honolulu, San Francisco, Aus
,ralasia, Vancouver, Puget Sound,
II starting straight away for San
Diego, San Bias or may be the
Pacific terminus of the great Mica
aqua Canal.