The Hawaiian gazette., 1899-09-01
v. R. Castle Predicts a Great
Future for II On Hawaii.
MS VISIT TO KAU AND kONA
Facts and Figures from Actual Re.
suits Show Coffee Culture
to be q Success.


terviewed, Mr.. Castle, on your recent
trip to Hawaii"
None whatever, only there is not
much to say about the volcano, for
wrote quite fully Of the eruption on
the return OF our party from the source
of the flow, all Of which the public has
seen, as well as Mr.. Rhodes very en-
tertaining account published in the
Star hear from visitors just down
from Hawaii that earthquakes still
continue. One resident of Hilo says he
thinks that there is a shake at least
every thirty-six hours. 1t certainly
looks as though the volcanic activity
is not yet spent. believe that there
will be further eruptions and not I'M
likely heavy flow of pahoehoe. Tour
lists will yet see something well worth
a journey from the East or even fur
Their away"
You did not return with most of
your party. Where did you go after
they left?'
Il had business in Kona, SO rode
overland from Kilauea to Kailua, TAX
ing about ten days on the trip. have
heard so much about the failure OF
coffee as a possible industry at the
Islands that made special examina-
ton of that crop, looking for Informal
ton among those who are planting. A
little has been planted in Kau. As you
know that is very windy district and
many have predicted failure from that
cause. But found not only consider
able amounts Of what is called wild
coffee, which looked clean and healthy
and bearing a good crop this season,
but learned that number of persons
have set out small lots with coffee and
where it has been planted in valleys
or other sheltered spots it is doing re-
markably well. The deep gorges and
recesses back of Hilea, especially on
those homesteads which were set off in
Ninole, have been utilized to quite an
extent for the purpose"
mo one doubts, Mr.. Castle" said
the reporter, that coffee will grow
most anywhere in the Islands, but can
it be grown SO as to pay, at present
prices? Can poor man go into that
industry and support family?"
Yes, unquestionably. Let me go on
and tell simply what l saw and what
cultivatOrs tell me. believe that Ko-
ma is prominently the place for sue
cessful cOffee-grOwing in these ISL
ands. but hear this from Kau: One
planter said: My field Of about ten
acres gave me its first crop (more than
IA few stray berries) last year. 1t was
carefully picked. / rejected all green
or partly ripe berries, SO my pickers
learned that they lost money to pick
contrary to orders. My total crop was
eighty-tour bags. Fourteen Of these,
after careful sorting, kept here and
sold for what could get, ranging from
s to Il cents. Seventy bags went to
California and got Is cents a pound
for it, and the brokers say that for
such coffee they will guarantee always
the best price. Yes, It paid me. After
deducting all expenses, I shall have be-
tween $500 and $500 clear profit over
that larger field will do correspond
iuSls WCIi. year tHcIc Will Ue Il
fuller crop. For the first year my
field cost me $50 for price of land and
fencing per acre; clearing the land $25;
holeing and planting SIS. and wedding
and pruning, $24, so tina, aside from
cost of the land 1t cost $64 per acre.
The next year the expenHe was, OF
course, much less, and 1t will be SO
each year. This planter regards cof-
fee as an assured success.
In South Kona found Mr.. Buch-
holz' farm at Papa one OF the prettiest
and most inviting places In the Islands
He has beautiful home with tasteful
surroundings. The house-lot is love-
ly picture. Roses and other flowers
are growing with great luxuriance.
Fruit has begun to repay his expert
ments in tree-planting, and by his in
telligent work problem Is likely to
be solved; that Is can the fruits Of
the temperate zones be grown here ad-
vantageously? But his Is a coffee
farm, and his fields are refreshing to
the eye. There can be no doubt that
he will be absolutely successful. His
farm Is model In another respect He
believes. and has put his belief to a
practical test. that the farm should feed
its occupants. Cattle, fowls, swine are
raised and well fed, In their turn they
give large amount TO feed the farm
or and his servants, II there were a
market, a surplus could today be sold
Potatoes, grain, vegetables, small fruit
all are In plenty. And such climate!
II Is simply perfect, Nowhere In the
Islands can the equal be found. No,
| did not get Mr. IBuchholZ ngures
but, with an evident large outlay
there Is an abundance TO show as It's
result, such residents are valuable
for any district, His work has not
been sslhshly confined 10 bis own farm
The neighborhood has had the beneht
pf his Intelligent knowledge Of how
90 construct country roads, The places
~ The natives IN that vicinity look bet
ter aud show the Influence Of such q
neishbor,