The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1894-11-21
THE COMING INDUSTRY.
WHY NOT GROW COFFEE ON
MAUI AND OAHU?
A Profitable Business-Fame of the Ha-
waiian uct-Experiments
Near Lahaina.

The question Of growing coffee in these
islands is exciting great deal of inter-
est at the present time. The industry
is proving great success on the island
OF Hawaii and is being entered into on
very large scale. Land is constantly
being cleared and new plants put out,
and success has to all appearances
crowned every effort thus far made.
1t is believed by persons best informed
upon the subject that coffee will eventu-
ally become one OF the chief industries
of the Hawaiian Islands, ii not largely
the most profitable. The fame Of Ha-
waiian coffee is even now by no means
confined to this locality, but is recog-
nized in foreign markets as being of u
high grade and carrying an excellent
aroma. There is money in the BUSH
ness, as has been shown by yields from
which calculations have been made from
time TO time.
But when the subject is brought up
every mind turns to the Island of Ha-
waii and the general assent is That's
the place to grow coffee" So 1t is, but
why not on other islands? Why not on
Maui, Oahu and Kauai? Experiments
on this island in the neighborhood of
Kahuku have proved, in large meas
ure, successful. On Maui experiments
have been made and, though not wholly
successful, with greater care will in all
| l. f,,l
Referring to coffee growing on Maui
Mr.. w. Y. Horner of Lahaina, under
date of October 4, 1894, writes to the
Planters Labor & Supply Company as
follows:
Sin answer to y, ur request will say,
we commenced the cultivation of coffee
in small way about two years ago
near Lahaina Maui. There were being
cultivated few coffee trees in Homo
hawai- gulch and large amount of
volunteer coffee plants grow there. We
selected a tract of land in the woods
near the gulch, $500 feet above
the sea level, and planted fifty
acres six by eight feet apart.
One third of the trees were large,
quarter to one and half Inches in di.
ameter. We cut back to about two
feet. the balance were small plants, six
to eight leaves. They did well for six
or eight months, On the large trees
shoots had grown sixteen or eighteen
inches in length; then the trees COM
menced to die at the top of their shoots
4 and lost their leaves.
We then suspended work there. Now,
after year in this state they appear to
/ he growing and to be getting into good
e shape, a few have died. We cannot
a account for this strange freak; have
e seen no blight of any kind ON the trees.
The soil for the first three or four inches
, is dark loan, the brownish red, chang
ing very little for the first three or -four
+ feet. Water disappears in short time
@ after rain, but the soil is moist all the
Q time. Some are exposed to the sun,
some are in the shade; but those wei
shaded oyer have done best. We have
u grown on the spot about 10000 plants in
nursery, and when the size of lead
. pencil set them out with the same re.
Z suit, small trees the worms bark and
> may die this way.
We are now operating in the gulches
: have planted about 100 acres. Coffee
y does well in the gulches at an elevation
o of + ON 1000 to 2400 feet above sea level
,hnI
= and irrigated. We have but few tree
IN bearing, and expect only few hun
" bred pounds of coffee this season. Tol
l. at about six feet high. Shade is bene
70 fit to young trees. 1t there are too man,
J. trees on the land, we girdle about one
1t third of them. The leaves decay an,
d fall first, the branches may fall year
finally all decay and make manure. w
may girdle another third when the cof
fee trees are two years old. One.thir
At we will leave permanently. This cours
1 saves much labor, and far as we ca
% now see, works well.
lie Herea TER we will plant out no tree
n permanently, until they are eighteen O
er twenty. inches high, the bark is the
III hard, and bugs and worms will not me
at lest them"
Ill This gives an interesting history G
m experiments made in coffee culture nea
a. Lahaina. The information gained as I
climatic conditions, elevation, ETC., q
applying to that island, and the cor
stantly accommodating knowledge {
~ coffee culture in older districts, mu,
" soon bring the industry on Maui up to
more encouraging basis. 1t would seen
n too, that under the conditions enum,
- rated this island is equally if not bett,
adapted to the cultivation OF the bea
than is Maui.