The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1902-10-28
70 GROW
VANILLA
E.H.EdWardsFr From
Fiji With Cut.
tings.

Edward n. Edwards. ~ South Kona.
was one of the passengers who arrived
I'm Honolulu on the Miowera on Satur-
day Mr.. Edwards returned from FIJI
where he has been securing cuttings OF
vanilla vines which he will use on his
vanilla plantation at Napoopoo.
This vanilla planter is an Englishman
who has had considerable experience on
that sort of plantations, having been
engaged for some time In the Seychelles
Islands, growing the valuable vanilla
beans He came to Hawaii less than
two years ago and took up land at Ma
poopoo but had been unfortunate In
securing the cuttings for establishing
his work and So decided to personally
visit Fiji do his own selection, superin-
tend the packing and preparations for
transit himself.
/ The plants secured by Mr.. Edwards
on this trip to Fiji are a fine lot. He
| packed about a hundred cases which
contain some twelve thousand plants.
on arrival In Honolulu Saturday he WAS
disappointed with the way the cases
had been treated in transit and by the
stevedores and he says that percent
age of the plants died in transit but
| that those that are left are in such
healthy condition and of large enough
quantity to put his plantation on sub
stantal basis.
Vanilla bean growing is IA profitable
undertaking when the planter labors
under favorable conditions as there Is
always steady market for the prod
uct. Mr.. Edwards took up land at
Napoopoo and has cleared twenty-five
acres of it and on this ground he VIII
Immediately plant the shipment of cut
tings brought from Fiji on the ALI
red" steamer.
As the present outlook is that his
trip to Fiji has been n success as far
as securing cuttings for firm start are
concerned Mr.. Edwards says he knows
no reasons why vanilla cultivation
should not be a complete success here.
During late years the cultivation of
vanilla in many places in which 1t was
not formerly attempted has been under
taken and with considerable success
More of the product has been placed on
the market each year but this has not
cheapened its price to any extent. The
beans are worth anywhere from 81 q
$40 per pound and as beans hitherto
grown in small quantities here have
been graded as of very high quality
vanilla plantations on a large scale
should be successful in Hawaii.
During the month of March. Of this
year, the supply of vanilla placed 1f
the w,Tid's markets WAS the hcavies,
on record. There was big demand
for the goods and the whole supply OF
about $500 tons was sold. Vanilla PODS
are classified in the market according
to their length, color. and plumpness
the longest ones bringing the best price
Tahiti grows large quantities Of vanilla
beans and always finds a good marke
for them in England and France. Th'
Seychelles have also produced iarg'
quantities of the article and only re
Gently German corporations have com
menced their cultivation in German
Samoa and reports from the latte
point say that the outlook for the fu
ture of the industry there Is yer!
promising.
At present vanilla is only grown II
scattered manner in these islands
Mr. Allan Herbert, of Kalihi, has a few
vines but these are kept mostly for or
nament, although he secured as man!
as a hundred and three pods from on
vine, showing that the beans grow wei
in this climate and under conditions %
cultivation which exist here.