The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1899-07-26
COFFEE GROWING.


prepared by well known planter i'm the
island, as follows:
COFFEE GROWING
l have been coffee planting for the
last twenty years, and during that time
have twice seen a fluctuation OF prices
of 60 per cent; and the average prices
1 have realized have varied from SOS.
Cd. to 42s. per hundred weight 1921 7S to
$40 % per 112 pounds). This large differ
ence i'm values, combined with a very
great uncertainty as to crops-these be-
ing dependent upon the proper distribu-
ton of the rainfall and not upon the
cultivation-makes coffee planting diff
cult. When | say the crop is not de-
pendent on the cultivation, l mean that,
however good the cultivation may be,
without proper weather there will be no
crop. With practically the same acre
age as now. e., $50 acres-my crops
have ranged from % casks of $50 pounds
| to Gin one year, 154 casks. The best
seasons may be said to be: A dry jan
uary and February to rest the trees af-
/ ter the previous crop; showers to bring
/ out blossoms-the best is a general
/ bloom In April; then good rains in May
and not too hot July and August. If
! the latter months are hot, the crop is
! likely to be burnt before it is mature.
! The low prices are attributable to the
! immense production of coffee in Brazil.
When once coffee growing is well es-
! tablished, hundred weight ass
pOunds) per acre may be expected, and
| this return should last for fifteen years
at least. 1t may vary considerably from
year to year: thus, after a very heavy
crop, says hundred weight (672
pounds) or even hundred weight (7S4
pounds) per acre, the return would be
proportionately small: still hundred
weight per acre should be about the
return in good land, and without fertil-
izers should last fifteen years. In this
part of the island, we expect coffee to
bear for twenty years after the first
bearing, say twenty-five years from the
time of planting.
COST OF CULTIVATION.
Speaking roughly, the cost of land,
fencing, planting, cultivation, and all
other charges should came to els ($13)
per acre by the end of the fifth year
that is, the year when one may reason
ably expect a crop; a small crop would
be reaped possibly the third or fourth
year. but it is not good for the trees.
think that a fair estimate of the cult
walton, reaping. and curing of the cror
per acre, including 10 per cent for SUI
pervision and 10 per cent for extras, is
e5 1924 33) for a return of hundred
weight of clean coffee fit for sale.
The price of land varies very much
but, generally speaking, e. GA 1861 ar
acre has been considered fair value. OF
course, there are lands to be had al
much lower prices; the government
lands sell at about 5s Isl 22) per acre
In short, there is no regular price, val
ues being determined by the situation
1t would be useless to undertake coffe,
planting unless there is plenty of labor
as much is needed for wedding, prun
ing and reaping.
AS to the price of land in coffee,
should imagine that about $50 ($91 33
an acre for old and $50 ($146) for youni
coffee would satisfy most people
Rye crops could not be planted be
tween the rows of coffee trees, though
orange trees might be planted at thi
altitude (2200 feeD in place of othel
shade trees. During the first three
years, some sort of shade is necessary
and it is the custom to plant vans
cassava, cocoa, etc, but this should b.
done sparingly, as underground is no
good for the trees.
WEATHER.
The climate here has averaged " de
grees Fran. in the shade for years.
the summer, 1t rarely goes above 8
degrees Fran. We have two rainy sea
sons--one in May and one in October.
1t is always healthy in the coffe
growing districts, as the best altitud
for that industry is between 1000 an
1000 feet. In this parish (Manchester
we are dependent for our water suppl
on rain caught in tanks.