Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1898-04-12

er Marsden of the Bureau of
Agriculture says the most cheer
ing reports have come TO hand
from all the coffee districts in the
Islands concerning this promis-
ing industry. Ever since the
opening up of the Olaa district
doubts have been expressed by
many people as to the suitability
of that locality for the profitable
production of coffee. The fertili-
ty of the soil was admitted, but
the large rainfall Of that region
was cited as reason why the
coffee trees would not bear an
average crop, but would produce
instead a superabundance of wood
and no fruit. These doubts have
been set atrest, the coffee trees in
Olaa that have reached the bear
ing age are yielding as good
crop as any trees growing in the
most favored districts, and, pro-
vided that nothing occurs to
diminish the supply or increase
the price of labor, the coffee in
dustry seems to be assured of sue
cess.
1t is true that many mistakes as
to the planting and culture of the
coffee trees have been made, but
this is always the case at the
beginning of new indus
try; time and experience will
lead to a better understand
ing of the conditions under
which the coffee tree must be cul
tivated in this country to obtain
the best results The conditions
in Olaa and Kona are very differ
ent, and the system of handling
and pruning in one district will
not answer in another.
The Commissioner says it would
be a wise policy on the part of the
government to employ coffee ex
pert, who would familiarize him
self with the conditions prevailing
in the different districts, and de-
vote his time to visiting the coffee
planters and advising them as to
the best methods of planting and
caring for their trees.
The advice of such an expert
would be particularly valuable to
the new beginners, who come here
to engage in coffee culture, and with
very rare exceptions, without
the slightest previous knowledge
or experience in coffee culture.
Practical object lessons by an ex-
pert will teach more than all the
coffee books and such an expert is
very much needed at the present
time. There are scores of small
growers throughout the Islands
who lack even the elementary
knowledge of tree pruning, and
they must be shown how or they
will not do it, or will do more
harm than good if they attempt it.
There are several of such experts
here, and the several instances
where they have been engaged to
prune neglected coffee trees the
result has been marked by
largely increased crop of berries
1t is no exaggeration to say that
were all the coffee trees in Kona
district properly pruned the next
crop would be more than trebled.
The commissioners recon-
mends that an item be inserted in
the Appropriation Bill to cover
the salary aud expenses of a cof-
fee expert who shall be under the
control of the Bureau of Agricul-
ture and Forestry.
The labor supply for the coffee
plantations is a problem that de-
mands attention, according to Mr..
Marsden, who says there will be
no difficulty on that score as long
as the sugar planters keep on i'm
porting laborers and the time
expired laborers and deserters 90
to the coffee plantations. But this
may cease some day, and the
sugar planters and the coffee men
will be competitors for what labor
there is in the country. When
this does occur it will cause rise
in the price of labor be-
yond the powers of the coffee
planter to pay and carry on his
enterprise with profit. As regards
the labor supply this country is
standing on the edge of volcano;
at ony tina fba suDnI,, ,ooo -