The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1902-08-14
A RANCHER'S PARADISE.
Ideally Situated For Ranching-Ter-
races of Well Watered Pasturage-
Soil That Will Raise Anything.

Albert Barnes, who has lately re- .
turned from trip to the Island of La
mai to be sold at public auction on Sat /
urday next, is enthusiastic over the |
present condition of the island, ana the .
possibilities it presents as ranching
proposition with large profits for COM |
paratively small outlay.
Il was most agreeably surprised with J
Lanai" said Mr.. Barnes, Il have seen
1t from the sea and have several times
been invited to visit there by the Hay
seldens and others who set forth its
various beauties in glowing terms.
These opinions 1 always thought biased
| from the fact that those who uttered
them were living on the island. Now
l concur with all they said and add
more glowing details of my own.
Seen from the windward side, La
mai like other Islands of the group, is
not inviting But once over the range
to the ranch-house and the most entic-
ing pastoral country is spread out to
the view. There, are five terraces, some
of them fifteen miles long and from "A
mile to a mile and a half wide. These
are separated by slopes of perhaps an
average of $50 feet fall and are covered
with the best of grazing pasturage. In
July the grass is as verdant and thick
as the average lawn in Honolulu.
There is plenty of water. From
| Wednesday to Saturday the mountain
was constantly enveloped in a cloud.
Twice l saw running water, which
however disappeared into the ground
after a few rods. There is plenty of
forestation which could doubtless be
increased by systematic campaign
against the armies of wild goats which
devastate the young trees. The water
supply could be conserved with but a
trifing outlay. Everywhere there are
little valleys running out from the
mountain canyons, perfect little cups
which could be damned without diff
ficulty at small cost and with a system
of bitches and fumes leading from ter
race to terrace, speedily put the water
supply beyond any danger of failure.
The nature Of the mountains too would
make the cutting up of the pasturage
into paddOcks easy. Fences would on
ly be needed at intervals along the
steep ridge.
At present the Hayselden ranch has
some eighteen thousand sheep there
and there are few cattle and horses.
The land could be readily appOrtiOned
into sheep and cattle pasture. On one
hand lie pastures fairly we'll covered
! with bunch grass that would suit the
} sheep admirably, while the richer pas
! lures would accommodate and fatten
! fine herd of steers. OF course the
D cattle there at present have not been
bred and are largely legs and horns.
1 believe however that a conservative
: estimate would admit head of eight
thousand cattle and thirty thousand
sheep to be raised most successfully
% by the importation of imported bulls
and rams. l think too that fifty thou
sand dollars would import these inn
proved strains and pay for the con-
=, servation of the water supply and the
:, fencing.
u Sugar cane, irrigated as the old ma
+ tive woman near whose hut it grew
n said by the Almighty, is in fine trim
and looks as if it would flourish. There
is no lantana there. l did not see a
n sprig of it. Hogs flourish, corn and
S pumpkins growing easily. Sisal grows
4 magniicently some planted some time
ago having really enormous arms.
. The climate at the ranch house is
splendid. l only heard one mosquito
and saw none the whole time l was
there. And we slept under two blan-
- kets every night.
But it is as a ranching proposition
than I think the value of Lanai lies
principally. There are three landing
places, one very good. With the Hay
selden portion of the estate and w. G.
e Twins third, which he has said he /!
g willing to lease or sell on reasonable
terms, one would have control of the
. three ports and practically of the ISL
u and, aside from what might be LEASED
<, from the government, though the lat
d ter would be on short leases. AS to {
market, if the present retailers did no
desire to purchase, the setting up of {
small gasoline coal storage plant OF
i the island, the purchase of a $1,000
steamer, and the opening Of a marke
l. in Honolulu would put the rancher OF
a plane where no one could undersel
= him. The hides, hoofs, horns and tn,
offal, used for fertilizers, would go ia
to pay the running expenses of tn,
= ranch
Il believe that a man could within {
few years be drawing an income o
p 100000 a year from such a propert,
as the Island of Lanai, and be LIVING
in delightful locality at that Fruit
al grow readily. Beside the goats Their
l. and valid turkeys and pheasants galor
n everything for a little monarchy o
lie one.