The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-03-20

flavor and aroma, and pure 'Kona" is
said to be superior in every way to
Mocha or "Old Government Java" and
selected samples sold abroad have fetch
ed prices which declare it's high quality.
1t is, therefore, eXpedient to establish an
Intelligent culture of this berry in order
that this deserved reputation may be
1t is not to be understood that enor-
nous areas with large volumes OF ship
nents can be grown in Hawaii. The
,ands suitable for coffee culture. like
those adapted to sugar, are exceedingly
restricted in area, and hence at best on
Nv limited quantities can be produced.
But the present area and output can be
largely increased, and it is the part CT
wisdom of the economists of the country
10 determine how this can best be ac-
complished.
1t is matter of regret that the inter-
est in coffee-growing has greatly de-
creased in the last few years The low
price of coffee everywhere, together with
tn. scanty and high value of labor, have
checked the usual annual paintings, ana
now attention is paid only to the bearing
trees The area under cultivation, IN
stead OIL DtluS tAleIlutus DSiAiS ~
creased rapidly by the Transforming OF
many of the Olaa coffee plantations into
vast sugar estates. When sugar falls In
value and coffee returns to It's usuaf
price, then perhaps another and more
permanent impetus will be given this In
dustr,. The Commissioners of Agriculture
for the islands has recently introduced
/ and disseminated over the islands large
number OF I4iberian coffee plants, which
| are said to be blight-proof. However, the
danger Of blight is now reduced TO a
minimum, due to the Introduction OF
parasites which have destroyed the IN
sects causing the disease. In the culti-
walton of coffee large supply of labor
! Is required at picking time, which lasts
only three to four months. The rest Of
the year very small force Is needed.
1t Is, therefore, recommended that the
coffee farmer should also engage. In the
cultivation Of other crops in order to
probably utilize the year round the Ia
Dor required for harvesting the coffee.
Experiments are being made to combine
| with Coffee the cultivation Of tea, sisal
hemp, bowstring hemp and other plants.
! SUGAR CANE.
| Sugar cane (Saccharum officinarum)
was found in hands of the natives when
| the islands were discovered, and hence
generally believed that 1t was indigo
nous. But since 1t has here the Identical
| name4'Ko''-as 1t has In all the Poly
nesan Maori tribes, 1t Is more reasonable
| to suppose that the natives brought II
with them to these islands. The follow.
| ing varieties are now found growing
wild on the islands: Kokea, Uala, Ole
ana and Papuha, which have greenisf
yellow stalks; Honuaula, Papa and
Ohia, which have dark purple stalks
and Ainakea, Kainio. Manulele. Akflolo
and Laukouo, which have striped stalks
These varieties are growing on the Su,
gar Experiment Station at Audubon
Park, having been sent to us by Messrs
w. G. Irwin & Co. many years ago. They
are adapted to different elevations, the
green varieties thriving best ON the sea
coast, the variegated in the middle zones
while the darker kinds may be success
fully grown at very high attitudes. A
so-called towering variety, ''Puaole'
which has a vigorous growth, rich juice
and wide adaptability, is In favor for cul
tivation at high elevations, since 1t tas
sells very late and therefore permits of {
longer season of harvest
In comparatively recent years there
have been introduced a number of varie
ties, but the one now chiefly cultivated
on the islands is the Lahaina or Ken
Keni which was originally brought from
the MarQuesaS- Islands by Captain Par
don Edwards, and was first planted a
Lahaina, on Maui, whence its name. Or
lands from the sea level to an altitude o
i'eoV Iccl, ILLS Cdilt Is now preferred u
all others. It's introduction into the isl
ands has increased enormously the yieIt
or sugar. 1t, however, does not sucke
well. The Rose Bamboo, Cavengerie AM
Yellow Caledonia have all been introduc
ed, and are grown to some extent. !
few years ago DR.. Maxwell received from
our station our Louisiana striped canes
After several years of cultivation
crop was last year harvested and CAV,
the enormous yield of over seventeen
tons of sugar per acre. I saw this can,
growing while In Hawaii, and it seemed
from its vigorous, rapid growth that i
had been suddenly released from its lon,
Imprisonment in Louisiana and was sim
ply spreading itself under the infiuenc,
or irrigation waters and the bright sun
shine OF Hawaii. Our purple cane, In
troduced at the same time, Is not dom,
so well. Cane natures in Hawaii IL
eighteen months On the coast to thirt,
months at very high attitudes.
Sugar is the dominant crop of Hawaii
everybody is interested in it. directl,
or indirectly. 1t dwarfs and belittles ev
cry other agricultural crop grown upol
SOIL capable of yielding sugar cane Ey
cry attempt hitherto to establish a colo
ny OF farmers in one community ha
eVentuated in sugar estate. AS lon,
as the present prices of sugar are main
tanned, 1t Is extremely doubtful whethe
I, farming as practiced in this State, will
ever become permanent or popular OF
the Islands. Wherever diversified farm
ing can be carried on, there perhaps gu
gar cane can be grown at greater prof
1t than most any other CROP and as Their
are mills in almost every part of tn
main islands, which are ready and anx
ious to buy cane, the farmer Is NOR
han apt, on account of greater profit. 4
adually gravitate to the exclusive cuI
III alton of this crop. Few places on tn
lsIt ads, where cane can be grown at all
will yield less than thirty to forty ton
per acre. The present price of cane De
ton Is IS to Sc, thus yielding a gross in
come of $50 to $240 per acre. Even de
Quoting expenses of growing and har
vesting, there will be left net incom
per acre hardly possible to be obtaine,
by any ordinary farm crop.
As mentioned elsewhere, large portion
. of the Olaa coffee plantations, since tn
! decline in price of coffee, have beel
transformed into sugar estates
Sugar culture began on the Islands oy
er sixty years ago. In 1850 the produc
OF sugar per acre with the crude wood
en- and stone horse mills and inferior ket
ties, vas not over one ton per acre. II
1850 the total crop of the islands was re
ported i only 10000 tons i ne sugar in
dustry vas given a tremendous impetu
by the reciprocity treaty with the Unite,
States in 1875. by which all raw sugar