The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-03-07


the settlers in the Honokaa homestead
district The men here were the first to
take up land under the new law 1t is
notable fact that in the earlier
days of the colony holdings changed
hands about severy season, but that the
present occupants are on the farms to
remain. The leader here in coffee culture
is Mr. de Mello. He has seven or eight
acres which will this year return him
about $1,000 to 1900. Wind breaks are
used here. Nearly all the homesteaders
are Portuguese and as a rule do not go
in for coffee beyond a small patch near
the farm house Mr.. Marsden thinks
each one should be encouraged to put in
seven or eight acres of coffee and is GER
tain that it would pay handsomely. The
sugar plantation people here encourage
the homesteaders and esteem them high
ly as a permanent supply of the better
class and better paid labor.
In selling the new lots above Honokaa,
the Government reserved a strip of 250
feet bewteen each farm. Purchasers We're
required to fence their holdings. This
leaves the forest piece held back by the
well as the trees are being destroyed by
cattle. The settlers want the Govern
ment to fence the ends of the reserva-
tions to accomplish what was intended
and Mr.. Marsden strongly recommends
that this be done. He adds that the
settlers are willing to keep an eye on the
vacant tracts adjoining them and would
readily keep fences in repair and drive
out cattle that managed to get into the
forest strips The settlers here have just
planted and were very much pleased to
to receive sound advice. This district is
capable of producing full quotation of
Hawaiian coffee.
The report is made that the land lately
sold by Sam'l Parker in lots of 40 to so
acres at 500 an acre is suitable for coffee
and will yield well if wind breaks are
provided. More of this land should be
placed on the market, as it is easy of
access.
Speaking of the height at which coffee
may be successfully grown, Mr.. Marsden
is positive of 2,75O feet, because on this
trip he found it at that altitude. 1t was
healthy and heavy production. The
bean is small, but will do doubt be
found to be of superior quality. Some of
the trees have yielded as much as five
pounds and all the trees are of vigorous
growth.
Asr. Marsden is very enthusiastic over
the new roads on the Island of Hawaii.
He says most remarkable and surprising
and satisfactory progress has been made
in this direction and has only to advise
that good work should go on. The people
over there are deeply impressed with
what has been done. 1t is a revelation to
some of the kamaainas to ride in a
carriage these days over section which
they had always believed would never
have a better thoroughfare than a horse
back trail Mr.. Marsden lived on Hawaii
many years himself and knows what he
is talking about in these premises. He
mentioned especially the new eighteen
miles of road from Hilo to Honohina,
calling it first-claSs. On the road to Lau-
pahoehoe there is only one bad gulch. The
great Laupahoehoe gulch has a road good
enough for a bicycle track. The stage
line from Honokaa to Kawaihae is a
great surprise ana a great convenience
A little more work is one section Of the
line will complete a magnificent highway
and a great trade artery from Punaluu
in Kau to Kawaihae in North Kohala,
something of which the old timers had
never dreamed. The proposed road from
Waimea into Kona will open up some OF
the finest farming land in the group 1t
is in this region that corn and fruits and
alfalfa equal to imported are produced.
This tract, Mr. Marsden thinks could
largely supply Honolulu with the produce
The official party was unable to get
into kona on this trip, but will visit that
district at another time. After making
this personal inspection in the coffee dis
tricts, Mr. Marsden strengthens his re-
that it would pay the Gov
ernment to keep a good man travelling
to instruct the new settlers in coffee and
in conditions generally. He says that if
he was to remain in office he would in
sist upon an arrangements of this sort be-
ing made.