The Hawaiian gazette., 1902-01-17
DIVERSIFIED
AGRICULTURE
WahiaWaColonyis
Doing Much
Work.

N IVERSIFIED agriculture as dem
onstratsd at the Wahiawa settle
~ ment on this island, has passed
the experimental stages and the 1900
acres controlled by the association are
now in n thriving condition, the prod
ucts of temperate anu torrid zones be-
ing raised thereon with equal facility.
]. II. Townsend. until recently a mem
Der of the association. and now man
ager of the Townsend Undertake
ing COMPANY and who was
one of the founders of the same, in an
swer to the argument that white men
cannot work in the fields here. points
to the white men of the colony who
have for the past two years underta-
ken the task Of producing upon the
Wahiawa land the same products that
are now being imported into the ISL
ands from California. He states, how
ever, that the climate of Wahiawa Is
peculiarly adapted for white men to
work in. and that it Is far better than
that of Southern California, Arizona
ana Texas. The climate OF Wahiawa
was what appealed to the Southern
Californians who form the association,
and led them to do there what they had
uVflc III tUtlT lOEllltT uTlucI-
more, 1t Is colony where Americans
do most of the labor, there being TWEEN
ty-five families resident OF the associa-
ton lands, with total population of
eightyfive souls.
"There is one feature about Wahiawa
which makes IL important to American
farmers" said Mr.. Townsend yester
day. I'VE do not get there the glare
81 1, 4 lat.
hiawa is located at an elevation OF
about 900 feet above sea level, the Koo-
, lau mountains extending from the
southeast corner t. the northeast part
Of the island, and forming wall 25vJ
feet high behind us. over this come
trade winds during the spring, summer
and fall. As this wind sweeps down over
this high elevation it Is always cool
and pleasant, and all through the sum
mer tleecy clouds float over us from the
Kcolau to the Waianae mountains, Civ
ing us one of the most delightful eli
mates in the world. These fleecy clouds
prevent the sun from glaring down
upon us as elsewhere. enabling us to do
our work in the fields without being
disconnected.
1.-THE quality of the land is suitable
/ loE. tIt SIoNlIiS VI WI ahStS, Itlll'lls,
ap,icots, pruncs. pears, peaches, null
berries and figs. One fig tree which /
planted twelve months ago, which was
then about one foot high, has now
about twenty-three matured figs. Peach
trees which we set out year ago each
have now as many as thirty peaches
anu of n pretty good size, although
only half grown. These trees have had
hot thn hn, tn
many parts OF Southern California. All
the varieties OF vegetables that can be
grown in California do especially well
at Wahiawa. Cabbages, beets. turnips,
carrots. sweet corn and tomatoes
thrive. We can beat the world in the
raising of tomatoes, many OF them
growing as large as saucers.
The watermelons grown there have
a rare rich taste, many people here
| telling US that they prefer them t.
those received from California. Last
year there were ten acres given over to
the raising of watermelons. That cror
realized SLIGO. They were sold to deal
crs in Honolulu as they lay on the
ground. This was realized within -four
months from the time We planted them
Pineapplcs are now being largely
acre. There was some difficulty last
year about getting water for irrigation
and the colonists had to depend upon
rainfall. This year they have all the
water they will need, and are getting
at about half the cost for pumping that
others have to pay for It."
The transportation problem is one oi
the difficulties in the way of giving the
colonists a better share of profits or
the products they raise for market. Al
present they have to team the prod
ucts seven miles to reach Waialua
railroad station. or ten miles to Pear
City station. They have high hopes
that a railroad Will some day cut
through the Wahiawa property ant
come within short distance of their
lands, thus giving them a quicker out
let 10 Honolulu.