The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1895-03-08
NEWS FROM THE PLANTATIONS.
Largest Crop for Years Expected
in Hamakua District.
Dry sea,on Has stimulated the Planters
Remarks on Ways and
Means.

rainy weather Of the past four months
has been of great service in promot-
ing the growth of all manner of vege-
tation, and particularly to the sugar
cane, which is thriving wonderfully
well throughout the length and
breadth of the district.
The outlook, therefore, for a good
crop is almost an assured fact, while
for the season of 1896, from present
appearances, there will be the largest
crop ever taken off in this district.
The past dry season, instead of dis
couraging the planters, has seemed to
stimulate them to greater exertions,
and everywhere larger crops are being
planted.
At Paauhau, at the Hamakau plan
tation, at Ookaala and Kukaiau plan
tations, larger crops are to be planted.
The Kukaiau Plantation Company
have already 200 acres of the finest
land on the place cleared, and will
clear as much more for planting. 1t
is confidently expected that with
moderately fair weather this planta-
ton will in q year or two surpass any
thing ever done mere.
In the sugar mills are noticed evil
dences OF improvement in almost
every department., and this is more
particularly true of the grinding. In
deed, the grinding In most OF the mills
surpasses anything of the kind ever
seen here up to this date, and at Paa-
uhau, where they have lately put IN
place a cane shredder, the improve
ment is something marvellous. This
machine is a revelation to most peo-
pie, and most everyone acknowledges
it TO be the best Improvement ever
seen in a sugar mill. At the Hama
kua mill there is also some very fine
work being done, and it seems doubt
full if five roller mill can do better
than this mill is doing at the present
time.
Quite a number of improvements,
which are said to be. of great
benefit are here noticed. One of these
is a Deming's superheat clarifier which
is giving the best possible satisfaction.
Much benefit has also been derived
from putting the condensers Of vacu-
um pans and triple effect down close
to the pump, as well as by increasing
the number of mud presses and COOL
ers. The coolers look as though they
were made on the place, and they are
some of the best that have been seen.
The steam boilers and superheaters
are also doing splendidly here and are
an abundance of steam.
The triple effect at this place also
works with astonishing rapidity and
it is almost impossible to keep it in
juice, notwithstanding forty per cent.
of water is often used in maceration.
At Kukaiau they are also making
everything ready to do good work.
This mill started to grind in the early
part OF February, but as the cane was
very green they shut down again.
Rose bamboo is said to be the richest
cane in the world, but at the same
Time it makes the poorest fuel of any
thing on earth when green, and it
Is none too good when ripe.
The Ookala mill, it is understood, is
also doing good work. Mr.. Walker,
the manager, has solved the fuel
question and now has plenty of steam.
should say at the commencement Of
the crop, on account of the greenness
Of the cane, most mills have some diff |
6culty in getting steam, and when |
rose bamboo is used it seems about |
to do much of anything |
with it.
Mr.. Walker, however, instead of |
trying to burn this stuff returns to the !
DID method, and dries it in the trash |
house, and thus at trifling expense |
obviates all the difficulties of having |
green trash. 1t is a most singular |
act, that while extra machinery is |
being added to sugar mills,
and while more work is constantly |
being done in them, the steam boilers
usually remain the same and they are /
to do all the extra work |
With power fuel or what is called |
green trash. This trash, however,
)urns fairly well when the cane is
ipe, but no one will say that it is as
,ood as dry trash, even then.
1t is q question in some mills OF
ither buying more boilers, or of using
Try trash, and as the main difficulty |
8 only for a month or two at the COM
of the crop some of the
managers prefer to dry it or at least a
art of it. Ct. o.