The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-04-05
THE FUTURE OF COFFEE.

An industry which has more than
doubled in value during the space
may be fairly regarded to quadruple
in the space of four years. From
value of $22, 500 in 1895 the mere eX-
port of coffee went up to $53,650 in
1896. And as was pointed out in n re-
cent article this did not by any means
tell the whole story, for there was
home consumption of $4,000. In the
present year the home consumption
is not likely to increase very largely,
but the export trade will be consider
ably over $4,000 if all indications do
not fail. At present coffee stands
fifth in the list of exports, sugar, rice,
bananas and hides taking precedence
in the order named. For the year 1897
coffee will certainly outstrip hides,
and it is quite possible may exceed ba-
nanas in value. This would place cot
fee third in the list of exports. Before
the end of the century it will be sec
ond.
We have by no means taken up all
our coffee lands yet. North and
South Kona are pretty well filled up,
but Puma persents extensive tracts of
land still untouched. The same may
be said of the Hilo district. There is
a group of plantations not far from
the vicinity of Hilo, and among them
are some of the best cultivated on the
island. There is another group in and
around Laupahoehoe, extending to the
very top of the valley. But there is
little or nothing in the coffee line in
the intervening twenty-eight miles,
and yet there are scattered over that
distance numerous ideal spots for the
of pleasant homes.
In these columns the future pros
poets of the district of Hama We're full
ly discussed. but there is no reason
why Lahaina should not become an
extensive producer of coffee. There
are two plantations, but there should
be dozens. The same may be said of
Wailubu, and the northern portions
of the Makawao district. Indeed the
Island of Maui should bestir itself; it
has not made the progress in popula-
ton during the past six years that it
should have done, and the progressive
people of the island should look
around for attracting population and
opening up the lands. y large portion
of Maui is as fast asleep as Puma and
the Konas were a few years ago.
OF the prospects of this island,
Oahu, for coffee and fruit culture
much has been said in these columns,
in many pamphlets and results shown
by practical work. 1t is needless to
call attention to it.
Kauai presents an excellent field for
coffee above the sugar belt, which
practically encircles the island with a
ribbon of cane. But Kauai has always
been shy of coffee ever since the fail
ure of the plantation at Hanalei.
With all these new lands to take up
the cultivation of coffee it only needs
capital and energy to bring the eX-
port of coffee to be one of the most
productive in the group. Coffee is not
a poor mans crop, to cultivate it sue
cessfully man must have capital, but
it does not require an enormous cap
ital like sugar, between $1,000 to $10,-
900, properly expended, will produce
for the owners fine income for life
after the fifth year, capital returned
in the seventh year and everything
paid for.
1t is well worth the while of farmers
in the United States with small cap
ital, as above, to consider the question
of coffee. Information in full upon
the point can be obtained from any
Hawaiian consul, from the Foreign
Office here or from the Bureau of Ag-
riculture, Honolulu. The climate OF
the islands is charming and the
chances of making competence by
thrift and industry almost certain.
The relations with the United States
are exceedingly close and there il
every prospect of their becoming al
integral portion of the States by an
neXation. For so small community
there is probably not so prosperous {
one on the face of the earth.