The Hawaiian gazette., 1903-11-06
CACAO FOR HAWAII.

There are some cacao trees growing
we'll in Hawaii, though they are for
ornament and not for commerce. One
may be seen, we are told, in the beau
tiful grounds of Mrs. Mary T.. Foster
on Nuuanu avenue. A business inter-
est might be profitably taken, how
ever, in the cacao tree because of the
rapid increase of cacao or cocoa con-
the imports have grown from total
OF 100000 pounds in 1888 to 100000
pounds in 1898 and 63,0O0,0OO pounds in
1903. Inasmuch as the tree does well
in the West Indian tropics and in
certain parts of Asia and Africa it's
commercial possibilities here-where
single specimens are so luxuriant-
would seem not to admit of doubt. The
fruit of the cacao tree a pearshaped
contains numerous large seeds from
which the chocolate of commerce is
produced, while the shells are also
utilized for the decoction known as
cacao, or cocoa, used as a substitute
for tea or coffee. 1t Is the crude
cacao and leaves and shells which form
the large and rapidly growing importa-
ton above referred to. The value of
importations in this crude form has
grown from 81 900, 900 in 1883 to $4,000
900 in 1898 and nearly sS.OOO.0OO in
1903. Meantime the importation of
manufactured cacao and chocolate has
fallen from 1,467,977 pounds in 1897.
valued at s239,s19 to 69O,S24 pounds in
1903, valued at s144,S23.
Figures compiled by the Department
of Commerce and Labor show that
both cacao and coffee have grown rap
idly in favor in the United States in
showed no material increase. The
coffee importations grew from 515,000,-
600 pounds in 1883 to 1,O91 900 900 pounds
in 1902 and 5,O66,3S0 pounds in 1909
those of tea amounted to 100000
pounds in 1888 and only 75,OO0,000 in
1902, but in 1903 were 1Os.O0O,OOO. Thus,
the growth in the importation of ca
Gao has been more rapid proportion
ately than that of coffee, and much
more rapid than that Of tea.
The report of the Bureau of Statis-
tics says of cacao:
THE growing popularity of this ar
ticle in the United States is matter |
Of especial interest because of the fact |
that cacao is produced in the West |
India Islands, and while Porto Rico |
has not up to this time been a large |
producer OF cacao, the fact that the
United States imported about 10, 100000 |
pounds from the West India Islands
n 1892 and about 10000, 900 in 1902, sug-
gests that there may be possibilities
IN this line under the American flag.
Of the 5l,OOO,OO0 pounds of cacao i'm
ported in 1902, 100000 pounds were
rom the British West Indies, 5000, 900 |
rom Brazil, 100000 from Dutch Gull
ana, 6500,000 from Ecuador, 100000 |
rom Cuba, and 100000 from Santo
Domingo. In 1900, 1872 pounds were i'm
ported from Porto Rico, but there is
10 record of cacao from that island
since that date.
n 10 n iy,or tl,1
'eport from Consul Donaldson, of |
Nanagua, Nicaragua, recently receiv-
ID by the Bureau of Statistics, is one
If the most attractive and lucrative
in the tropics. Nearly all
he cacao plantations in Nicaragua
lie says. are owned by foreigners, and
although the tree grows very luXuri-
'usly along the Atlantic coast and
'long the river valleys, it also grows
II all attitudes from the sea level to /
900 feet. The trees are planted four
ards apart, in rows three yards apart,
II about 400 trees to the acre. Calcu-
ated at an output Of four pounds each,
It twenty-five cents (gold) per pound,
hey would give an annual return Of
400 per acre. which nets the planter
It least $3.50. The picking and prep
,ration for market is much more cas-
ly performed than coffee, as cacao |
crows in large pods containing from
fifteen to twenty-five beans each, on
rees from ten to twelve feet high"
When n Hawaiian Is educated and
he is a Republican When