Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1901-11-30
Kohala Sugar Co.

Situated some one hundred miles from Hilo
by the government road and in the Kohala
district of Hawaii are the Kohala Sugar
Company's lands. where the first sugar
cane Of the native Hawaiian variety was
planted In 1862. At the present time the
company owns in fee simple 1866 acres. In
addition to which area 1t controls 1900
acres of forest land, and has under cultiva-
ton 800 acres Of plant and 500 acres OF rat
toon cane. The principal variety grown is
the Rose Bamboo or Rappoo. and at the
present time the company is experimenting
with ten different varieties.
The cane under cultivation is grown
at an elevation running from so to 1900 feet
and will average three tons OF sugar to the
acre or twenty-six tons OF cane to the same
area The general character Of the soil is
a dark clay and is made ready for planting
by the aid of 'Fowlers Steam Tackle" which
is described most fully in this paper In con-
nection with the Paauhau plantation In the
Hamakua district. The method of conveying
cane to the mill Is by the aid Of wagons and
fumes, water for the fumes being OBJ
tanned from streams in the Kohala noun
tains, and also by the aid of 1900 feet OF tun-
nels which have been driven above the plan
tation, and the water supply collected there
from. Upon the property are some seven
miles Of fume which includes the portable
laterals radiating through the plantation.
In this particular district It is important
that the forests contiguous to the plantation
should not only be preserved to insure GER
tain amount Of rainfall, but also to maintain
a continuity Of artesian water. and in this
connection the gulches and waste lands are
being planted with trees Of the ironwood
variety. A number of miles OF road have
been constructed In and about the various
cane fields for the purpose Of handling seed,
fertilizers. fumes. etc. OF the total area un-
der cultivation, some 400 acres Is handled
under the cooperative or profit sharing sys-
TEN, which is apparently proving very salts.
factory. Like other plantations on this side
OF the island of Hawaii. the cane natures In
from eighteen to twenty months while the
mill grinding season Is from February to
August.
Owing to the scarcity OF labor the COM
pany is not running with It's full compile.
ment Of men, but Is now working some 400
contractors, company men and day laborers.
In the cultivation OF the soil from 1000 to
1900 pounds Of high grade fertilizer Is used
10 the acre, while 33 horses. 1876 mules and
100 head of working steers. are found neces-
sary to pillow. fertilize. haul by WAGONS.
etc. The average rainfall at the Kohala
mills at an elevation Of 900 feet for the
past twelve years Is as follows: 1899. S.
26; $780, $500; 1891, 1894; 1892, 42.5s; 1899
4709; 1894, GAS; 1895. 53.4G; 1896, 1888;
1897, 1884; 1898. 55.3s; 1899. 4O.s7: 1900 49,
30. Average for twelve years. 54.43 inches.
The question of water development for ir-
rigation purposes has received marked at
tention on the lands Of the Kohala Sugar
Co., and at the present time some 600 acres
are under irrigation Water to irrigats the
above area Is obtained by sinking SHUTS and
running drifts In Wainaia Gulch and col
Letting the supply. This was the FIRST and