Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1898-11-03
SUGAR In THEIR COFFEE
Olaa Planters Making Plans for
Cultivation Of Sugar.
Experiments With Cane on high Elevations
Plenty Of Local Money Said TO Be
Ready for The New Enterprise.

For months past the owners Of
coffee plantations in Olaa have
been talking sugar cane In connec-
ton with their coffee trees. More
than two years ago rose bamboo
cane was planted at different alti-
tudes aud occasional patches of
yellow Caledonian were planted.
The result has been such that the
proposition to build a sugar mill
in Olaa is favorably considered.
Charles E. Eagan, who has ex-
tensive interests in Olaa, has look
ed carefully into the matter and
will visit Naalehu with samples of
soil and stalks of the cane. Under
the supervision of George @,
Hewitt, manager of Hutchinson's
plantation, the cane will be ground
and an analysis made in order
that the amount OF saccharine mat
ter,may be determined. The soil
will be examined by the chemist
at Naalehu for the purpose of as
certaining its requirements, il any
for the profitable growing of cane.
A. f. Linder, who owns a big
coffee land tract, will cultivate two
hundred acres in cane and the
balance in coffee. The other
planters will no doubt put their
lands not now in coffee in cane.
The total acreage has not been
settled upon and probably will
not be until reports are had from
Mr.. Eagah on his return from
Naalehu. Samples of both varie-
ties OF cane will be taken to Naa-
lehu for testing, but it is believed
that the Caledoniap will produce
more sugar at high elevations than
the rose bamboo. Some of this
cane has reached height of eleven
feet. The joints are not as close
together as the rose bamboo and
it is believed the yield will be
greater.
1t is not the intention, as far as
the matter has now gone, to incor-
porate, except as the mill proper
ty; the planters will continue to
own their land and take the cane
to the mill to be ground. Practi-
cally cooperation will be the
slogan and it will mean the solu-
ton of the most difficult problem
to the coffee grower-labor.
The mill will probably be locat-
ed somewhere in the vicinity of
eleven miles 80 as to accommodate
the prospective planters in Keaau.
This will necessitate the construc-
ton of good macadamized roads
from the main Volcano road to the
tract lying back 1t will also ne
cessitate the building of a railroad
10 Hilo 80 as to bring the crop to
a point for shipping. 1t is under
stood that the capital for this lat
ter enterprise is ready and that
nearly all the capital required for
constructing the mill will be OBJ
tanned in Honolulu and Hilo, only
a small portion of it coming from
abroad.
Mr. j. w. Mason, when asked if
The anxiety of the coffee men to
plant tn 'ir lands in cane was not
an indication of lack of confidence,
replied:
Not by any means. 1t may,
perhaps, stand in the way of larger
holdings of coffee lands, but it will
make those already planted sue
cess, if for no other reason than
that it solves the labor problem
We have two hundred acres Of
land that we will plant in cane,
but our confidence in the prospects
OF coffee are as strong as it is pos
sihlet to be. This sugar venture
will bring us more roads, it will
open up lands that will bring
profit to the owners sooner, per.
haps, than il planted in coffee,
and Hilo will be greatly benefited.
L know that cane was planted sew
eral years ago merely as an expert
ment and it has grown 80 we'll that
the Olaa men believe it will be
good scheme to go extensively in.
to the cultivation of it. Every
thing depends upon getting a mill
erected there, and L believe the
money for it is near at hand."-
uoo.. IIo..Il