Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-10-09
Splendid Capabilities of Hawaii in
Producing the Staples.
TIE ISLANDS NOW SHIP BANANAS
PineappIes, Oranges, Lines and
:d
Many Other Fruits Produced.
THE Poss 1siB LIE STATE
special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.
HONOLULU. September 24, 1896
My last letter began discussion of the
lines of profitable occupation likely to be
open TO Americans who should emigrate
in any considerable numbers to Hawaii. 1t
is expected that annexation Of these is
lands will be followed by a great influx of
American citizens. The question is what
profitable employments are they likely to
find here? 1t was pointed out that the
rapidly increasing commerce, centerng at
this central way station of the Pacific, Will
employ large numbers Of people, and that a
population of at least 1900 must in a few
years be gathered at he twin seaports of
Honolulu and Pearl Harbor. 1t was also
estimated that rural population of 25,ooO
in the neighboring country districts would
find occupation in producing needed sup
plies for the city and shipping This is
increase of thee times the population now
employed in these ways. The estimate is
bs sed partly on the present rate of Increase
of trans-Pacific commerce, and partly upon
the steam traffic which will result from the
opening Of the Nicaragua canal AS a rule,
steamers from Nicaragua to Asia will call
here for coal.
Sugar production was also named as like
ly to give large employment to white farm
ers, although it does not now do so. An
neXation will restrict the importation of the
ASiatic contract laborsrs now employed,
and the plantations will be compelled to
distribute their fields to white cutivators
to produce sugar cane on shares. 1t is be-
lieved that this will ultimately occupy
10000 or $1,000 white settlers with families.
1t was pointed out that our climate is eX
tremely mild, 50 that whites easily
work in the fields. This radical change in
the plantation system has already begun on
a small scale, with financial success.
commercial m
be looked for to occupy at least 100000 new
corners from America. Postponing for the
present letter the subjects of coffee and
fruit culture, cotton and tobacco were
named as probably furnishing profitable OBJ
jects of cultivation. Cotton was exported
at profit during your civil war The best
sea island staple hourishes here. Tobacco
has never been raised for export the flavor
being coarse. probably due to bad curing.
The growth is luxuriant.
Coffee Culture.
Now about coffee. Just now there is a
great boom here about raising coffee and
| every ore seems to believe that it Is going
| to be great success. No reason Is appar-
ent why these hopes will not be realized.
| Several dozens of new coffee plantations
| have been started on the large island of
Hawaii during the pastthree years. and a
few Of these are ins fruit The crops SCI
are evidently heavy donts for young trees.
| The quality Of Hawaiian coffee has long
| held high rank, Notwithstanding the alb
sence of skilful prepare ton and sorting
! for the market. "kona,' coffee, raised on
new lava, has the finest flavor of any in
| the world. 1t remains to be determined by
| actual result what profits can be realized
! by skillful planters during series of years
| The estimates of Ipotits which have been
| made from relia bic data, are highly TIA t.
| tering. ,t-r.i7
| There is abundant reason to believe that
| the business OF cultIyaufg coffee has now
| come to these islands to stay. 1t is not
| new here. More or Hess coffee has been ex-
| ported for fifty yesrs ssFor twenty years
| past King Sugar has izfs ono poliZed all the
capital and brains OF .the country. and pt h4t
exports fell into neglect There was lead.
| ing cause OF dlscouraBement about coffe
| In the attack Of several destructive forms OF
| insect blight, various species of aphis and
| coccus. Most Of the Odd coffee planta lions
suceumbed to these enemies. delvere,
| from these evils has lately appeared in the
| person of Prof koebele, who rescued the
| dying citrus groves Of California from the
| devastating cottony-cushon scale" by
| means of his pretty red-dotted lady bird
| the Eedalia cardinals. Koebele has beer
| fer some years salary from this gov.
| eminent, and has found in Australia anc
| elsewhere the precise lady bird antidotes
| wanted for every individual variety of
| scale and aphls infesting our trees of every
! sort. Now every coffee plantation is kept
| thoroughly clean and pure from bl;ghts
| This is boon of immense value Il ap-
|
| present resumption of coffee culture
| The class of lands suitable for coffee cul-
| ture, that is, moist. cool, free from driv-
| ing winds and fertile, is of great extent
on the large island of Hawaii. The amount
| of accessible land of this sort will only be
| limited by lack of roads The government
| has entered upon an active course of con
struction of tirst-class macadam roads, r
order to open such lands to settlement
| They can be supplied as fast as they are a
| present likely to be wanted. There Al
least 100000 acres of good coffee lands or
Hawaii. probably ten times much OF
the smaller islands. The very best of these
lands now available are those in the IN
lands of kona, which has given its name
to our choicest coffee. Perhaps not inferio,
in quality will be the coffee raised in the
web forests along the new Volcano road Il
the district of Olaa. Neighboring district:
in Puma now being opened by new
roads.
For Small Farmers.
On this island of Oahu are tracts of SINAI
| extent where coffee fiourishes. In suffi
GENTLY moist localities the trade wind
| generally drive too steadily. A fine planta
ton of sixty acres is now beginning t
| bear abundanty in Waianae under the le
. of a high mountain, and 1000 feet up ii
slope Other small plantations are start
irg in the same district For the ordinar
| farmer, who raises most Of his houSehol
| supplies, coffee will abundantly furnish hi
| needed cash resources. Ten acres will b
a little fortune to such settler, and a
| he can handle without great outlay 70
hired labor. Six acres of coffee trees wi
be as much as he and his family can kee
in order, pick and prepare for market. Th
1 other four acres will keep his cows. pig
and poultry, and furnish garden supple
) for the household. From the six acre
the gross yield Will be from 5000 to 81 .ou
per annLm, Most Of the labor after plant
ing is very light, we'll suited 10 women ali
| children.
For his food in district moist enoug