The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-12-21
IS NOT BLIGHT
Judgment Passed on Appearance Of
Coffee Leaves.
NOTE BY PROF. BRIGHAM
| Used Microscope-Cond in
Olaa and Puna-Great Need
of Inspection-Drying

During ali this excitement and talk
Of sugar, the second largest industry
OF these Islands, coffee, should not be
overlooked
On Hawaii, where the largest amount
is grown, most of this years crop was
picked between August and November.
In the districts of Hamakua, Kona
and Puma there has been quite q large
crop. IN the largest district OF all,
Olaa, the crop has been very late. Dur
ing the month of July most of the
places had a very heavy blossom but
OH account of the irregularity Of the
seasons this year most of the blossoms
failed to set. But the blossom that
came Ia October and November, which
also was a heavy one, has set very well
indeed. The picking will probably com
mence about February of next year
and extend during most of the year.
The higher levels in Olaa seem to
have done better than those lower
down, although Peter Lees place, at
eleven miles, has borne very heavy, in
fact almost too much for the age of the
trees, which is three years.
The last few months have seen num-
erous dry houses erected in Olaa,
among the largest being those Of the
Capital Coffee Co., G. E. Aagan, Zim
norman, Jones and Grossman Bros.
Mr.. James erected at Mountain View
dry house in which he expects to dry
the coffee of the smaller planters. who
will not put up their own drying
plants His intention is to buy the cot
fee in the pulp and pulp it and dry it
and send it to the coast for sale.
One would hardly recognize the Olaa
of a few years ago with the present
Olaa At Mountain View has been the
most decided change. The Kilauea
Coffee Co. has opened up a tract of
land for town sites, and have put it on
the market Already quite number
of Hiloites have purchased lots there
and are soon to erect summer homes
thereon. 1t is quite a decided change
of air and scenery from Hilo and is
just far enough away and yet not too
far.
A great deal has been written lately
about the coffee blight. BY the last
Kinau samples of the supposed blight
were brought down and submitted to
both Professor Koebele and Professor
Brigham. Both gentlemen have the
same opinion and the following letter
| from Professor Brigham will relieve
| the minds of the would-be blight talk
ers in Olaa and Puma:
Mr.. Chas Hyde.
| Dear Sir:-I have subjected the cot
| fee plants you sent me to careful mi
croscopical examination, and find no
signs of the CeylOn coffee blight. The
yellow spots on few of the leaves are
caused by the mycelium of rust
fungus (Astilago) common enough and
harmless. AS the fungus was not in
| qualification | could not determine the
| species. The black spots on the leaves
| are the effects of heat, and would bt
caused either by sun or hot weather
There is no sign of fungus in that.
Yours truly,
WIN. T. BRIGHAM.
In a recent letter from one of th'
largest dealers in coffee on the coas
the need of a Government inspecto
was strongly emphasized. The write
stated that there was on the market a
San Francisco a great quantity OF cot
zee. sold under the head of Kona, tha
was of an inferior grade and had bee
improperly cured and dried. The tend
ency was to weaken the price in tn
market and unless something was don
and that shortly, that Kona coffee a
generally known there, would nc
taste anything like the original artlcl
here, or bring the price it should. II
recommended strongly that the GOV
eminent take hold of the matter an
appoint an inspector, whose sole dut
shall be to test every bit of coffee b&
fore shipment and see that it come
up to a certain standard. In this wa
Hawaiian coffee would become know
and its worth realized and we cOul
get the highest prices for our coffee.
COFFEE.