The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1893-12-06
HILO PLANTATIONS.
Their Remarkable Prosperity in
Recent Years.

1t seems little strange, not 70 say
discouraging, to see the once famous
Hamakua district in a state of col
lapse and the cane dying for want of
rain. But it is more strange to see
the once despised Hilo district now
blooming like a rose, indeed very
wilderness of saccharine abundance.
Passing out of the par-baked district
of Hamakua into that of Hilo, bios
soming and fragrant, and made re-
freshing by the soft breeze and the
mellow and beautiful weather, is like
passing out of the wilderness into the
promised land, flowing with milk and
honey. But it is doubtful if even the
promised land ever yielded so rich a
harvest as the planters of Hilo dis
trict are now reaping. 1t is stated on
good authority that the yield per acre
for the entire district last year was
not less than five tons of sugar, and
from present appearances the yield
this year will exceed the previous one.
One may learn something of the inn
prOvement when it is stated that the
plantations in the Hilo district cleared
on an average % per cent.
Some idea of the crops may be
learned from the following figures:
Papaikou and Wainaku each turned
out seven thousand tons, Waiakea
and Pepekeo five thousand, and the
yield for the district was thirty-tive
thousand tons. This is a good show
one had predicted such yield ten
years ago he would have been con-
sidered q fit subject for a lunatic
asylum.
Now, as many have condemned the
planters in the past for their parsi-
mOniOusness in leaving nature alone
to fight their battles, so they deserve
praise for the great efforts in assisting
her, and for the wonderful transforma-
ton which they have accomplished
in this once barren, God-forsaken soil
of the Hilo district, which has been
done solely by judiciOus use of fertili-
scription of this marvellous change
effected, but neither time nor space
will permit. / will therefore merely
say that from Ookala to Hilo is now
one vast cane field, and not such
scrubby cane as L remember seeing
years ago, but only such cane as can
be produced with the finest climate,
the best of soil, and the most judicious
care in every department.. And one
is astonished beyond measure to see
the old worn out lands of PepekeO, Pa
paikou, Wainaku and Onomea, yield
ing such crops as could scarcely be
formerly expected to grow on new
lands. And doubtless many persons
will be astonished to learn that the
Ookala plantation which is at the tail
end of the district, with the worst soil,
and the least rain, and which for
ages has been sunk in the slough of
despond and covered with debt is now
among the rest coming to the front,
but it is a fact nevertheless. All
are also glad to see the Laupahoehoe
plantation starting up again. There
is undoubtedly good soil upon this
place, and the new order of things
will reach here also. There is as
bright future, and as splendid a sue
cess awaiting this as has been
neighbors. 1t is scarcely necessary to
say that these remarkable changes
are due to a thorough and systematic
course of fertilizing, to better meth
DDS, of cultivation, and to more care
full management in every branch of
the business.
The amount of money now spent
for fertilizers would astonish some
people, and it's generally considered
that nothing pays so well. Some of
these plantations, it is stated, pay
dollars a year, and what may seem
most strange is that those which
spend the most for this article declare
the largest dividends. 1t is also
stated that most of the land that has
been under cultivation for thirty
years, and which was considered worn
out years ago is so far reclaimed by
fertilizing, as to be the finest soil on
the place, and actually improving
from year to year.
But these Hilo planters now do not
they begin to fertiliZe 1T. Mr.. G. G.
manure the soil rs soon as they start
to use it, which is evidently a good
plan.
Besides these Improvements one
constantly finds evidences of progress,
and evidences of energy and enter
prise, which speak more forcibly than
any amount of words can do of the
interest taken in this industry, and
which must be subject of gratifica-
ton, not only to the planters them
selves but to all those interested as
owners. must not forget to say
word for the weather, which is doubt
less doing as much for this district
as the planters themselves. The
climate here now is said to be just
perfect for sugar cane growing. Warm
rains at night and scorching sunshine
for the day is what is needed for the
perfect growth of this plant, and it is
just what they are getting here now.
1 cannot close this letter without
referring to the rare and beautiful
sight one may behold passing over the
Hilo road at this season of the year.
For now nature is prodigal beyond
description and beautiful beyond COM
parison. The cane fields are tasseling
and blooming and making one vast
flower garden thirty miles in length.
The gulches are covered with the
most varied and most gorgeous dis
play of tropical vegetation, and the hill |
sides are clothed in rich verdure, and |
the mountains crowned with a mantle |
Of snow. @. o.