The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-10-26
BIC DEMAND
FOR PALMS
Government Nurs-
cry Supplies All
Requests.
WINDBREAKS ARE
NEXT IN ORDER
Distribution Days Are Popular and
HousehoIders Are Preparing
for Rainy Season.

Yesterday was the second distribution
day of plants at the Government Muir
sery on King street under the recent
order of the Commissioner of Agricul-
ture. The Nursery opened last Men
day for the first distribution this fall
and nearly a thousand plants were
given awayg upon the orders counter
signed by Wray Taylor. The demand
for plants was almost as large yester
day, and the gardener, c. ]. Austin, and
his assistants were kept busy removing
plants from the pots.
The greatest demand at present is for
palms of the royal and date varieties.
AS this is the season of the year when
they will thrive and as the rainy sea-
son is soon to set in, househoIders are
anxious to lay in a big supply of the
tropical beauties so that by next spring
they will have their palms well up from
the ground. Next in the demand are
trees generally termed wind-breaks
such as the greveilla, or silver oak, and
the eucalyptus. Both these varieties
are hardy specimens and make an eff
fectual barrier against the wind. They
are valuable not only as wind breaks
for keeping heavy gusts off residences,
but they also prevent the wind from
bearing down too heavily on small
plants and shrubbery. Iron-wood shoots
are also quite literally asked for and
not a few poincianas. A large number
of California lemon shoots were also
given away. Mr.. Austin is having con-
siderable success with the California
varieties of lemons and lines and they
are now being sought after
The only thing which the nursery is
not able to supply in quantities are
varieties of fruit trees. These are OBJ
Itainable only in limited number, Shade
trees are asked for and can generally
be supplied Much care is being taken
in the starting of the shade trees known
as the Parkea Afrfcana, which is SINH
lar to the poinciana, forming huge
umbrella-shaped top, the branches COW
ering a large expanse of ground
Everything at the nursery, with the
exception of a few plants in a very
small hot-house, is raised out-of-doors-
There is little necessity for hot-house
work in Honolulu. Very little blight is
to be found around the nursery and
every portion of it seems to be in a
fiourishing state.
Mr. Austin is experimenting with a
small patch of taro on which oil will
be used to ascertain whether it has
any effect on the plant. In case the oil
makes no bad impression on the plants
its general use viii be recommended on
taro patches with a view to exterminat-
ing the pest which is destroying much
of the taro at present.
The nursery is open only on Mondays
and Fridays from nine to four, and in
order to procure plants, orders mus
be had from the office of the Commits
sioner of Agriculture in the Capitol
building. One entsrprising fruit raiser
in Honolulu has tdst made a PROPOSE
ton to the nursery that he be allowed
to take away only a thousand fruit trees
of specific varieties, and that the nur-
sery continue to grow them until they
are of a suitable size for removal. After
that he proposes to raise them for bust
ness purposes and dispose of the fruit
he expects to pluck from them. The
proposition is in effect that the govern
ment go to the expense of raising the
trees, paying out money to its en-
ployees to look after them and Their
hand them over to the fruit-raiser who
will reap the golden harvest. It is not
unlikely that his request, when brought
to the attention of the Commissioner
will be denied.