Evening star., 1896-10-03
oranges. pineapples and bananas for e1-
portation.


portation.
A Winter Resort.
You already know that our climate Il an |
pleasant one. 1t Is one suited
to white outdoor labor. The summer tenn
perature rarely exceeds S5 degrees in the
shade In the afternoon, The constant
northeast trades blowing over US from q
cold California ocean current effectually
keep down the tropic heats. and render
ours a sub-tropical climate. We know al
most nothing of the heavy. moist neat
usual in tropical islands. White men COM
fortably labor out of doors all the year
round. Our nights are almost invariably
cool. even at sea level. Now. IN mid-Sep-
tember, in this city, the mercury in the
to 20 degrees. In the winter it will descend
as low as 30 degrees, ranging to 60 degrees.
and 70 degrees to 70 degrees at midday. IN
the coffee uplands. from 1000 to 2,5W rect
be deducted from all the above tempera-
lures. Thus you see that we have climate
perfectly adapted to the residence OF white
farmers working with their own hands the
year round.
An additional element in our favor is the
almost entire absence of malaria and pesti-
lential maladies. Honolulu Is probably the
healthiest city in the world In this respect
We raise our children here In the asSur-
ance that they will have the usual mala-
dies of measles, whooping cough, etc.. IN
light form. We take them to the states
with dread on this account 1t Is extremely
rare for adults to be Frustrated with fever,
as they are in other tropical lands. Work
ingmen here may depend on better health
than anywhere in America. The only draw
back is the absence of the toning up and
bracing which the keen cold Of the Ameri-
can winter imparts. But what can the
American farmer find to do in Hawaii?
Before writing of coffee and fruit Gull
ture, let it be said that there Is always an
piY,Gr for In iyy0 m
cane. The present years crop Is about 2OO,-
600 tons, netting about $65 ton at present
prices, or about $2eO for the product of one
acre. after milling. If ground on half
shares, the cultivator will receive 800 an
acre for crop requiring fifteen months
culture. Under the system usual at present
on most of the plantations. the owners Of
the mills also cultivate the cane, employ
Ing a low class of laborers, Chinese or
Japanese. There is little room for capable
white farmers on such plantations. Here
and there, however, fields are assigned to
higher class of teilers. to be cultivated on
shares. This system has already proved
highly successful. In the absence Of coolie
labor. 1t would have to be generally adopt
ed. After annexation. the importations Of
Asiatics would cease, and most Of the
plantations would probably be worked on
such system of shares. This would give
immediate extensive employment to a large
class Of superior American immigrants.
Cane Plantations.
The lands IN the islands,, available for
sugar cane arc far from all being yet oo-
cupied. Some even believe that the present
acreage of cane might be doubled. doubt
this. Probably fifty per cent might be add
ed to the present yield. 1t seems not unreal
sonable to believe that the culture of cane
in Hawaii will hereafter support ten or
fifteen thousand white families. When
Hawaii is included in the Union, sharing
hnno of Po-
as for beet root sugar, the cane will easily
hold its own in the competition. Under our
present quite advantageous reciprocity
treaty. only our raw sugars are admitted
free to the United States. After annexation
we shall doubtless establish our own re-
| fineries. and ship you our white sugars.
which will increase employment for white
men.
The subjects of coffee and fruit culture
are large, requiring much space. and !
must defer them for a succeeding letter.
Undoubtedly. several tens Of thousands of
able white farmers could establish them
selves here proftably in such culture.
There is room for a word about cotton. The
best staples grow here of the finest quality.
During the civil war. when cotton was high,
| several hundred bales were exported hence.
| There is no reason to doubt that it Nigh,
again be made profitable For one thing, II
| is well suited to our somewhat arid lands
| along the sea shore, where the best quality
of sea island staple hOuriSheS The plant
| becomes a perennial. reaching a height OF
| twelve feet, and showing abundant bolls the
| year round There can be little question
| but that with study of it's habits and i'm
| proved treatment the cotton plant may be
| made great success In Hawaii.
| Tobacco is abundantly produced by the
| natives for their own use. 1t hourishes ad
| mirably. The leaf produced is Of coarse
| flavor. This is probably from lack Of skill
! in curing. Possibly the Introduction of thu
| proper bacillus for fermentation Of the lea
| would solve the difficulty. There certainly
| is no country where a large. luxuriant to
bacco leaf can be more easily produced
| Whenever its culture Is perfected, 1t mus
| become a strong competitor for the occupa
| tior of present rice and cane fields OF ric'
| culture l say nothing. because the presen
| 10000 acres Of rice are in the hands o
| Chinese. who will hold their own agains
| whites in such farming.
| Another Earthquake.
| Hilotown, at o'clock last Sunday morn
ing, had the biggest shock Of earthquake
| that it has experienced since the bad day
of 1858. A large crack was opened for neal
ly half a mile through the town. One dru
| store had smashed a considerable porto
of its stock. At the Volcano House tn
| shock was somewhat less heavy. and tn
| action of the lava in kilauea appeared t
| be unaffected. The source Of the siesmi
| disturbance appears to have been httl
northeast Of the island of Hawaii. Here o