The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1899-08-08
0LAA PLANTATION
Great Progress is Being
Made in Planting.
MeStoekers Work Praised -Hsalthy
Patches OF Cane Growing In
All Directions.

II was through the Olaa district
few months ago" said J. G. Pratt. a
representative of Bruce Waring & Co.,
to reporter of the Hlo Herald last
week, before any work was performed
and could not help noticing the great
changes that have taken place since
my visit at that time. In the lower
lands the greatest amount of work
has been done and it shows for itself
| would not dare say how many acres
have been cleared, but there Is large
tract of the finest soil | ever saw any
where.
"A number of plowmen are working
the land and preparing it for seed and
in a few months this will be growing
finely. The fern trees have all been cut
down and piled in different parts of the
land, the stumps have been cut close
to the ground and burned. As the
trunks decay they become excellent fer
tilizer and add to the quality of the
land. From the road the scene Is one
that will win the admiration of any
sugar planter. In the vicinity of the
ing made in the erection of buildings (;
quarters for the men and substantial
stables have been erected. believe
the managers residence will also be
built there.
| AS | view the proposition of the
Olaa Sugar Company, it is one of the
best on the Islands for an investment.
When their upper lands are producing
the mill will be grinding the year
round and the acreage should yield an
enormous amount of sugar. The Waia-
kea Mill Company has about 5000 acres
under cultivation and is capitalized for
100000, upon which the company
earns about 60 per cent. Suppose the
Olaa Company has in few years H.
900 acres of producing cane. it would
seem to me that even with sugar much
lower than it now is the plantation
when all of the land of the company is
under cultivation the $1,000. 900 capital
ization will not be a whit too high
prophesy this: that within six months,
as the Doubling Thomases have an
opportunity to see what is being done.
any bear movement of the stockholders
will disappear and people will fall over
each other in their efforts to buy
shares. OF all the sugar properties |
have seen on the Islands Olaa presents
itself to me as the best. The conditions
are excellent: so good, in fact, that the
plantation, though a large one. can be
run at less expense than others. Any
one who has been through Olaa knows
what the soil Is and knows that irriga-
ton Is not needed and in this there
will be a great saving of expense On
one of the new plantations | am told
there will have to be two pumping
plants and between these there will be
six miles of piping. Calculate the eX-
pense of that and compare 1t with Olaa,
where there is natural irrigation, and
you will see the advantage Olaa has in
this respect.
I'm my opinion Mr.. McStocker shows
W lsuplli III NoHNeHti dtluS hiS thoits,
and his work shows for itself in a way
that any one can see what Is being
done. You may go through the district
and on all sides you will find patches
of cane which show an exceedingly
healthy growth. Cane few months
old is waist-high and in some places
that which has been growing six or
eight months is as tall and hardy look
ing as that which on the average plan
tation has grown a year, ] presume
that as soon as the lower lands are in
cane the work OF preparing the upper
lands will begin. A friend Of mine
from the States, who visited here a
few weeks ago. has an option on con-
tract for clearing 1000 acres, IL is a
class OF work he IL familiar with but
he Is unaccustomed to Asiatic labor.
lie has returned TO the States for the
purpose of securing the same white
men who have worked for him In the
past. II he can get them down he will
. 81 a. al.