The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1892-03-22

Scattering patches of healthy
coffee trees are found throughout
the district, and in many places
near the waters edge. All the
arabic lands are at n distance from
the shore, there being thousands of
acres suitable for the cultivation of
coffee, bananas, sugar cane, taro,
corn and fruit-bearing trees.
The district is blessed with
abundance of rain, the average
rain fall for the past year at Po-
hoiki being CT in. and 6-100, the
lowest for any month being 1.56,
which was followed the next month
by S.66 in.
The soil is very porous and alb
serbs all the water, though there
must be large supply stored a
few feet below the surface, for at
Kapoho and other places water can
be got out of the cracks at the
depth of forty or fifty feet.
The climate is dry and not sub
ject to great variations in tempera-
ture. Puma is the natural home of
the cocoanut trees, large groves are
to be seen all along the coast being
abundant at Kula and Kapoho.
Each grove marks the sites of old
homesteads, for the district was at
one time densely populated.
Some of the finest fish are
obtained along the coast and in
the numerous lagoons the largest
lagoon at Kula can be made the
finest boat landing outside of Hilo
Bay.
Not only does Puma offer good
opportunities for agricultural pur-
poses and the raising of coffee, but
it is full of interest to travellers.
The famous warm spring is to be
found near the residence of Mr.. r.
A. Lyman and is one of the finest
bathing places on the islands.
Natives formerly fiocked to the
place from all over the islands be-
ieving that it was possessed of
great healing powers. The water
is pleasant temperature for bath
ing and is clear as crystal, small
objects can be readily distin-
guished twenty feet below the sur
face. There is a mineral taste to
the water.
The land slopes gradually from
the sea to the heights of Maunaloa.r
Rising abruptly one of the level
plains, with sides almost perpendi-
cular, are few hills or ancient
craters indicating volcanic action
similar in character to Punchbowl
and Diamond Head. The most in
teresting one sjust back of Mr.. R. A.
Lyman's house and is in the shape
of a horseshoe opening toward the
sea. In this crater are four sub
crater or blow holes. In the Sec
ond one is to be found the famous
Green Lake, which so beautifully
reflects all the trees on the banks.
A few miles above these hills are
the lava trees, some standing alone
looking in the distance look like
ancient idols, while others in
groups look like the ruins of an
cient cities.
Standing within a few hundred
feet of each other are two of the
most interesting specimens, known
as the Vase and Arch, about twelve
or fifteen feet high, having on their
top growth of ferns and grass.
The whole country is full of int
crest and offers a good field for the
study of nature, for the photogra-
pher to vent his enthusiasm, and
for the scientist and geologist to
verify their theories.
The sportsman can find abund-
ance Of fish in the ocean and wild
piffs in the forest, while the artist
can spend days with his pencil
and brush.
A good deal of attention has been
turned to Puma of late. Experts
claim that the soil is well adapted
for coffee and that it far exceeds its
sister district Kona in its capabili-
ties for coffee production. The
great drawback is the want of good
roads throughout the country. 1t
is to be hoped that this Legislature
will do all in its power to develop
the district.
Puma has a great future before
her and bids fair to surpass
Kona. EIilo and Hamakua are
the cane fields of Hawaii; Puma
and Kona are to carry the palm as
being the fruit growing AID coffee
districts of the Hawaiian Islands.