The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-10-27
To GROW
VANILLA
Fiji With Cut
tings.
HAS PLANTATION
AT NAPOOpOO
Says That Future of the Industry
in Hawaii Seems to be
Promising.

! Edward H. Edwards, of South Kona
was one of the passengers who arrived
in 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. superjn-
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
had been treated in transit and by the
stevedores and he says that a percent
age of the plants died in transit but
that those that are left are in such a
healthy condition and of large enough
quantity to put his plantation on a sub
stantial basis.
Vanilla bean growing is a profitable
undertaking when the planter labors
under favorable conditions as there is
always a 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 all
red steamer.
As the present outlook is that his
trip to Fiji has been a success as far
as securing cuttings for a firm start are
concerned Mr.. Edwards says he knows
no reasons why vanilla cultivation
should not be complete success here.
During late years the cultivation of
vanilla in many places in which it 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 70
$50 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 Marcel Of his
year. the supply of vanilla plased N
the w.fid's markets was the heaviest
on record. There was a 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 plumDness,
the longest ones bringing the best price
Tahiti grows large quantities Of vanilla
beans and always finds "a good market
for them in England and France The
Seychelles have also produced large
quantities Of the article and only re-
Gently German corporations nave COM
menced their cultivation in German
Samoa, and reports from the latter
point say that the outlook for the flu
ture of the industry there is very
promising.
At present vanilla is only grown in
a scattered manner in these Islands.
Mr.. Allan Herbert, of Kalfhi. has a few
vines but these are kept mostly for or
nament, although he secured as many
as hundred and three pods from one
vine. showing that the beans grow well
in this climate and under conditions of
cultivation which exist here.