The Hawaiian gazette., 1896-10-23


saw. and was convinced" This man is
nOre other than Sim Mack, the genial
representative OF the American Trad
ing Company. Mr. Mack is now on
his way 70 the Orient 70 complete ar
engagements for The construction Of
line Of railroad for which the Chinese
Government contracted with the Am
erican Trading Company some time
ago. Ii Hung Chang has since been
on his sight seeing tour, and naturally
enough he ought TO want more rail-
roads. Mr.. Mack takes this for grant
ed. Of course. and before he returns
viii endeayor 10 argue good progress
sive ideas into the head OF the Chinese
VieerOy.
Having heard something OF Hawaii
an coffee. Mr.. Mack stopped over one
steamer 10 take 8 look al the situation
in the coffee districts. II may be well
20 add here that he had been in the
coffee business since q boy, and up 10
last year had conducted a coffee bro
kerage business since 1887. While he
has not had extensive experience in
planting coffee, his business has taken
him through all the coffee countries OF
Central and South America, so that he
not only knows q good coffee bean
when he sees il, but also has good eye
for coffee trees.
Mr.. Mack tells Of his impressions in
q style that is decidedly fattering to
the planters. and there is no evidence
OF false enthusiasm. In the first place
he was -thunderstruek st the healthy
and progressive appearance Of the
plantations, large and small, all along
the volcano road.
7 had heard OF Hawaiian coffee,
remarked Mr.. Mack, but I had no
iGsa. and I don't believe people gen
orally in the States know how the in
duscry is building up here. OF course,
I didn't have much time 10 inspect the
plantations very closely and compare
the different localities, but I have seen
enough in my short trip 10 lead me 10
seriously consider getting into the COT
fee business myself, and am quite
positive that my company viii make q
good bid for handling Hawaiian coffee
as soon as you have any 10 put on the
market
There Is one thing about Hawaii
there is no place in the world that
have seen in which the conditions are
similar 10 what you have here. Pos
sibly there may be some similarity
with the Nicaragua coffee districts, eS-
cspI Ehat planters there have heavy
rainy season 10 contend with l am
going through the coffee regions OF the
East Indies before return, and pos
sibiy I may strike something there
thar viii be like Hawaii, but I doubt
IL Your planters here must for the
most part work out their own saliva
tion. so 70 speak OF course there are
certain general rules that may apply
70 all countries, but the Hawaiian COT
fee planter viii have 10 study soil,
local climatic conditions, and expert
ment constantly 10 obtain the best re-
suits
About the relative value OF the diff
fereut districts. OF course I would not
care 10 express q positive opinion, but
I viii say that I don't believe the
planter has anything 10 fear in any dis
Urict / have been in. II is only q
question OF degree OF profit In my
whole "trip UP the Olaa road good
healthy looking trees were the rule,
and when the tree grows well the
planters haven't very much TO worry
about
IN some districts it may be found
advisable 20 change the variety of the
tree, possibly select G lower grade that
VIII give q larger yield. Such points
must Be decided BY experiments, and
they can only be decided in that way.
Now there is & great diversity OF opin-
ion as 70 the altitude at which coffee
does the best Well, every man has
=
but I am sure 1 found the trees at g.
0oo feet looking as well as those at
500 feet and vice versa But mind you,
altitude isn't the only thing 10 take
ITO consideration Haven't you seen
TWO farms side by side, one prosperous
and the other going 10 the dogs?
Coffeeu grow anywhere in that dis
rrict. and the man who makes the
closest study and uses the best judg-
ment viii be the most successful IL is
the same thing in every industry.
There's one thing I don't believe
you people half appreciate, and that is
the value OF the coffee industry to
your country. Coffee is q better crop
than sugar ever thought Of being. It
takes time to get the plantation start
mine There is always a good market
for coffee, and there Is no danger OF
over production San Francisco uses
Two million dollars worth OF coffee in
q year, and China and Japan are today
buying Central American coffees. Is
there any reason why you shouldn't
have q slice out of these two markets.
There is no cause for the Hawaiian
coffee planter to look blue. In fact the
outlook is most excellent, If am any
Judge It takes time and money 10 de-
Telop the trees, but look al the tine
and money it takes 10 get fruit or
ehzrd going, and when once bearing
there isn't half the money IN il that
there is in coffee. I suppose some Of
the small holders viii have TO go IN
der on account Of short pocket books
Such things are bound TO happen in
every new venture, but the man who