Evening star., 1898-11-22
Density of Population.

Density of Population.
In speaking of Porto Rico the existing
density of population in that valuable little
island doubtless suggests what may be-
come the future population of Hawaii. The
former island, with about half the area of
the Hawaiian Islands, supports 100000 in
habitants. 1t is probably more fertile, or,
rather, less arid, than these islands, for our
soil is most fertile wherever moisture ex-
lists. Our climate probably has less than
half the moisture of Porto Rico, so that the
soil cannot be as productive. On the other
hand, it is much cooler, owing TO the cold
Alaska-Japan current of the ocean, which
also causes the dryness. NUw, this coolr. ess
and drynesS make this eminently a white
mans climate Having double the area of
Porto Rico, We ought to be able to produce
food for at least an equal population. But
aside from our local food resource, a large
perc antage of our future population is des-
tined to find a livelihood from the enormous
future commerce of the Pacific, of which
Hawaii is the Crossroads"
1t would therefore seem not unreasona BILE
to allow for Hawaii a population of 900,
coo within the next century, or perhaps
half century. In estimating the capacity of
Hawaii to feed population, We may take
the sugar crop guide We shall next
year produce nearly 300 900 tons of sugar
and with the present growth of plantations
are likely soon to reach 4UO, 900 tons Now
there is no doubt that the same land which
produces that amount of sugar could feed
500 900 persons with other food products
But the acreage available for sugar is less
than half the remaining acreage upon
which crops could be raised during the
rainy season. 1t would, therefore, seem to
be a moderate estimate of the productive
capacity of Hawaii that with skilled culti-
walton it would feed 1000.000 people.
The preparations recently made here to
enlarge the production of sugar are truly
phenomenal. While this enlargement has
been somewhat encouraged by annexation,
that has not been the leading cause there
of. That cause is to be found in recent
immense development of artesian wells,
and of steam pumping from the same,
which is rendering available for sugar cul-
ture considerable tracts of fertile land,
hitherto considered hopelessly barren. Our
immense mountains, built up of veSicular
lava, form vast sponges of rock, which are
saturated with water from the winter rains
Almost anywhere at sea level wells may be
bored from which a pump will draw enor-
nous supplies of fresh water. On the Island
of Oahu such wells will flow at a height of
forty feet above the sea
1t is only very lately that it was dis
covered that such wells on the other is
lands would yield a copious flow to power
full steam pumps, although not oVehowing
spontaneously.
The great success of the Eva plantation
near Honolulu has stimulated the creation
of similar plantations on tn1s island That
plantation last year produced nearly 10, 600
tons of sugar from about 5000 acres of ma
turing cane. 1t raises water for irrigating
at levels of from sixty to 200 feet above the
sea, mostly from wells of twelve-inch bore
and from 300 to 400 feet In depth In con-
sequence of the large profits of Eva, an
other plantation was last year started in
the same district, which is already pump
ing to an altitude of 400 feet and will soon
have 5000 acres in cane. This has twen-
ty-four wells already in operation with
two sets of the latest improved pumps
The company expects soon to double this
force. 1t plans to turn out 10000 tons of
sugar by 1901.
other Plantations.
A third plantation of somewhat less ca
pacity has broken ground nearer Honolulu
A fourth one for 10000 tons, is being
opened at Waialua, fifty miles from town
by railway, with very f1attering prospects.
These three plantations promised an addi-
ton of $4,000 tons of sugar from Oahu
alone in the course of three or four years.
Besides these, a 20,000-ton plantation is in
prospect on the lower uplands of West Mo-
lokai, ten miles from the leper settlements.
This is to be irrigated from wells now
boring at Kaunakakai, with pumps lift
ing to 400 feet. There is little or no doubt
of entire success in this enterprise. There
is 'also progressing a great enlargement by
the same method of the Pioneer plantation
at Lahafna-
"Other enterprises are planned at Lanai.
and on the southwest lower uplands of
East Mani, with what prospects am una
BILE to say. But there is now in progress
an immense enlargement by the same
means of the great Spreckels plantation on
Mani, or rather the Hawaiian Commercial
Company. This concern has just changed