The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1896-10-03
COFFEE IN SOUTH kONA
REASONS WHY THE CROP is TO BE
A SHORT ONE.
a New Blight .Fertilizer to Be Used
The Association-New Growers
Post Office-Police Scandal.

of last year and, apart from the recur-
ring biennial fluctuations the reason is
to be found in the spread of blight,
which not only affects the leaves, but,
beginning from the tips of the
branches, kills the half formed ber-
ries and in short order, the secondaries
"a dead branch loaded with dead ber
ries.
One of the oldest and hitherto most
successful of Kona planters (whose
beans have fetched the highest prices
in Honolulu in speaking to the writer
said that the present pestilence was
! = a different form to that experienced
in ,,ormer years and he was quite
desnon,, ent when pointing out ravages
that seemed sporadic rather than in
foct;ous for !, ealthy trees and those
iaundiced alternated in his plantation
His and other theories are that the
soil becomes drained of nutriment and
that the coffee tree needs fertilizing.
He is testing the remedy he mentiond
but it is too late to save this season S
crop.
Professor Koebele was through Kona
last week and said he could not speak
definitely as to the remedy or antidote.
but would give the matter the atten-
ton which it's urgency required. As
Mr.. Marsden is said to have done, the
bug-man is travelling on Shanks' pony.
Many of the wide awake coffeeists
are hoping that the talked of Associa-
ton may soon become fact and wait
only for "A call from some one. Who
will call IA meeting of the Hawaiian
Coffee Planters? The place of meeting
needs careful consideration as, at pres
ent, these men are not at all wealthy
and distant place means expense,
yet the capital is. perhaps, the most
accessible to all--our waterways all
lead to Honolulu.
Many people are planting coffee, and
knowing nothing of the proper meth
DDS essential to success, would, by
Joining ii DuSlHCSS SoSiC'Ns pS ciObSo nv
in contact with older and experienced
planters. y suggestion is that the
embroyo association employ an expert
to advise, study and report on the cof-
fee culture matters of its members,
and as coffee is now a national ques-
{ ton. the aid of Government might be
looked for in fixing the salary of the
prospective expert.
About fifty men, mostly Portuguese,
are in the two gangs now engaged
from Holualoa to the vicinity of lands
of the Hawaiian Coffee and Tea Co.,
and are making creditable progress
on the main road of North Kona.
= 1t is said that g. Clark is the only
bidder for the two sections of road
lua.
n NJ. f. Scott has completed his EN-
" bankment contract at Kailua Bay; fin
ished last week.
Mr.. Thrum is busy surveying lands
cut up by the new roads of North anC
South Kona, and adjusting the com
pensation to owners.
E. McGeeney has charge of larg'
number of Hawaiian and Portuguese,
who are rapidly grading the new lin
of road from John Paris house nortl
r to DR.. Lindley's. The wages are Z
cents per day and the few Japs ge
60 cents.
The new road around and from Kea
lelleltua bay has been macadamize
r. and the traffic of freight wagons reno
ers it fine highway. BY the way,
may be cited as evidence of progress
that wagons have, until the last yeal
been almost unknown, and the burr
the local motive power. A wagon
wheel-mark is the mark of progress j
more ways than one.
The S. S. Hall was late on her lat
ca up trip, the cause being hot bearing
IL of main shaft. This mishap, disco
~ cred in the Molokai channel, made he
lay to for two or three hours viii
'o' NCIC
III The steamship people say that I'll
rs- amount of freight discharged at M
II. poopoo wharf is equal in volume
that landed at Kailua. 1t is owing
the rapid way in which land areas al
being brought under cultivation in IL
large section tributary to it. There
no regular post Office at Napoopoo ju
now as the late incumbent is takir
"long rest" at the invitation of IL
p. NJ. General. Another man is tryir
= to act as postmaster at Kealakekr
and Napoopoo as well, and as tt
places are five or six miles apart, Il
result is that people at the thrivir
port mentioned can buy stamps al