The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-05-17

1H0 AoiioWInS report mas been lSSusu
py the United States Department of
Agriculture:
Inc following letters from Governor
Sanford B. Dole and Mr. Franz Buch-
holtz of South Kona, Hawaii, give de-
sciptions of the varieties of fruit, vege-
tables, etc. which are grown on the ISL
| and of Hawaii:
Puuwaawaa, Kona, Hawaii,
August r. 1900.
Dear Mr.. Stubs: While on this island
visited Mr.. Buchholtz, a coffee plant
er OF the extreme southern part of
south kona. His house is on the Gov
eminent road at that place at an eleva-
| ton of perhaps 1850 feet above the sea.
his plantation is from the road run
ming up the slope T soil is among
broken lava and generally washed be-
low the surface of the ground, which is
composed almost entirely of broken
black lava from the size of a walnut to
that of an apple Or larger
Mr.. Buchholtz has had scientific train
ing in agriculture in some German in
stitution and is always experimenting in
fruits. vegetables and grasses; in fact,
he is conducting a private experimental
station which / deem to be OF great i'm
portance, and as he keeps careful
! counts and records of each experiment,
his experience is available through his
courtesy TO the public
| found growing on his place coffee
, figs grapes, fruit trees (of the United
States, pineapples, cocoa, carob trees
Est. Johns bread, mango, papaia, water
! lemon vine, and a good variety of roses
and other garden flowers. All of these
were growing vigorously, and the coffee,
| fig nanai3 annie nine9D-
| pie and water lemon Were bearing fruit.
The plantation is surrounded by native
forest.
| At my request Mr.. Buchholtz has kind
! " consenteoa to prepare a statement of
Ibis experiments for you, which l will
| forward as soon as I receive it. In
! North Kona, at the place of Mr.. Coer-
| per, also German, l picked and ate
| fine apples from his trees. He has album
dant crops every year, though his trees
are as yet young and small.
| North and South Kona stretch for six
| ty miles or more under the lee of the
great mountains of Hawaii, which eff
| fectually shut off the trade winds from
| these districts. In place of them they
/ have land breezes at night and sea
breezes by day, both of which are Little
more than zephyrs. Sometimes the sea
breeze is augmented by an eddy of the
1
force and from more northerly direc-
| ton. This region is made up almost en-
| tirely of lava flows, some of them very
ancient, so that considerable soil mas
! formed both from the decomposition OF
| lava and the contribution of vegetable
growth The rainfall throughout the
year is perhaps more evenly distributed
/ than is the case in any other part OF
the islands The soil is rich and fine
ara mr.
ably the most suitable part of the Islands
! for the production of fruit and perhaps
| tobacco. though the soil may be 100 ricn
| for the production of a good quality OF
the latter. Tobacco grows wild here as
well as in other parts of the islands.
! am now at Mr. Lows ranch house,
over 200 feet elevation, on the slope OF
| Hualalia Tie ranch is all lava flows
and contains extensive forests of large
variety of trees and produces first-class
| pasturage of a considerable variety OF
grasses and other heritage Alfalfa, rye
grass, and blue grass have been success
| IuIIy introduced and stand cropping.
There is no water and the stock eat
| enough while the dew is on the grass
TO supply their wants. At the ranch
house and a few hundred feet higher W
in eIevatlont Mr. Low has planted va
| riety of northern fruits, and budded or
anges and olives. All are doing well
the apples are beginning to bear, and al
so the olives, one variety of the latter
being covered with flower buds. Figs dc
we'll mere.
The native forests on the ranch arr
Loving The cause is doubtful. have
examined with Mr.. Low a number o.
trees. We have found six or sever
kinds of borers, bugs and worms in tbs
(dying) trees but have not found any il
healthy growing wood. Whether thes'
Epests cause the destruction or only fol
low on its heels, I do not know, but an
inclined TO the latter theory. l shall tr!
to have Mr. Koebele come here and IN
vestigate Mr.. Low will prepare paper
as requested by you, which will be Tor
warded to your address.
In regard to the subjects OF inquiry Sc
forth in your letter of instruction from
Washington, l would say as to the frs
notwithstanding out the consideration
sugar rice and coffee-nearly all edibl
vegetables of good quality can be pro
duced from the sea level to over 2,U
feet elevation: some doing better low
down and others high up. Certain veg
etables. like caulifiower and celery, seer
70 require the cooler climate of elevate
places.
Maize grows to perfection from Tn
sea level to over 2,OSe teet elevation. l
same is true of the majority of forag
plants Wheat, oats and barley DO wei
but the wheat product is of too poo
quality to compete with imported houi
None of these grains are cultivated
the present time. except perhaps In
small way, as forage
Hay can be easily raised, but owing
the liability OF rain in the localities Wher
II can be grown, it is liable to be spoie
. in the curing process. There are som
localities where it could be safely cure
. If it could be raised with the assistane
of irrigation Irrigation, however, Is 70
valuable in the raising of more profitapl
crops. such as sugar and rice, to alo'
, it to be used in growing hay Exper
ments already made would justify IN
belief that nearly all of foreign grasse
will do well over wide range of .eievf
ton and will stand grazing.
OF the fruits of temperate chimes, II
fairly we'll established that apples an
some of the berries will thrive and pea
at the right elevations. ] do not thin
that this is settled as to other Norther
fruits. although pears have been kno"
= to produce fruit. The peaches that ca
be successfully produced are an orient