The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1903-03-13


| At Wahiawa, in the upland vale.
that lies between the Waianae Noun
tains and the Koolau range, two-third
OF the distance by the old postroat
from Honolulu to Waialua, some Amer
lean farmers are making an experiment
that may mean much for the industrial
future of Hawaii. Five years ago the!
| took up a tract of Government land
agreeing to pay from SO to s. an acre
the appraised market value The
twelve hundred acres were allotted tc
the thirteen families represented in the
| settlement in proportion to the number
of workers in each. In order to acquire
fee simple title the several owners had
to live upon their lands for two con-
secutive years, and to bring one-fourth
of their tract under cultivation accord
/ ing to the requirements for freehold
| purchasers.
| The land was originally overgrown
| with lantana and covered by excess of
| vegetable matter. Clearing and plow-
| ing soon brought air and sunshine into
play and restored the soil to high
degree of fertility. The altitude of Wa
hiawa is one thousand feet, and the
climate more bracing than is often to
be found in mid-Pacific, with no ex-
treme heat and no frosts. The rainfall
Is not adequate for agriculture. but the
colony has merged it's water rights with
those of Waialua sugar plantation and
now secures abundant irrigation on
easy terms. The cost of transportation
Is here. as with most Hawaiian enter
prlses, the well-nigh insuperable diff
Guilty. Honolulu, the only domestic mar
ket and the sole medium of export
trade, may be reached by the Oahu
Railroad, but the available stations are
seven and fifteen miles distant, and
series of deep gulches make the wagon
haul costly one.
The colonists were destined to see
hard times. OF the original bakers
dozen, not more than half are today
living at Wahiawa. Financial or family
difficulties have forced one after an
other to abandon the enterprise, but
their places have been taken by others
and there are now fourteen house
holders in the settlement. Most of their
failures may be attributed to one or
another of the many pests that civiliza-
ton has brought to the islands, The
crop of melons that was expected to
pay handsome profit fell a prey to
the cutworm. Vegetables were eaten
up by the same voracious foe. Heavy
trade winds stunted the orange trees,
and the peach trees put out premature
blooms.
The farmers are now pinning their
faith to pineapples. This Is a plant I'M
loved of the cutworm and the jap
anese beetle. Scale, the besetting vice
of an orange orchard. is readily held
in check since the plants can be spray
ed with ease. Climatic conditions,
equable temperature and humid at
mosphere conspire to produce the most
luscious fruit that grows-great yellow |
cones of pulp, containing maximum |
OF juice and minimum of fibre. Ha-
waiian pineapples would command a |
high price in the Eastern markets, but, |
lacking the 1sthman canal. the diff |
Guilty of sending ripe fruit to the Allan
tic coast prohibits this trade. There
Is, however considerable demand for
pineapple commodity that
may be shipped to any part of the
world Arrangements are now complete
'or two Canneries. where high grade
preserves and pineapple syrup will be
prepared.
MIR. Byron q. Clark, the promoter OF
his attempt to domesticate the Ameri-
an farmer in Hawaii Is sanguine of
success. II think we've hit upon the
light thing at last" said he, proudly
Exhibiting a field of ripening fruit;
our pineapples are far superior to
hose grown in Mexico. Moreover, we
an get our fruit to market sooner than
hey. We can reach San Francisco in
December, the very best selling season.
live us the Christmas trade and they
an have the rest! Well ripened fruit
will bear transportation all right If
packed on ice. Why, I've sent
ines to Dakota and sold them at a ,
roft although the freight rate was {
$50 per dozen. But we are relying, in !
he long run, on the sale of our canned !
rcducts We shan put up first class
reserNes-none of your adulterated q
turf ! got a can once to see what IL 1
-aS made of Found II two-thirds ,
pple--infcrior grade of apple at that. 4
lave you tried our pineapple syrup? !
hat will be.a paying thing when we $
nee get the attention of the market. c
is more tasty than maple syrup, and c
ill cost the same. You see the juice |
7 IN" pineapple has digestive qualities. u
physicians win recommend 1t. Chill
rem can eat as many buckwheat cakes 7
$ they like and come to no harm. /
Labor Well. we have TO employ G
hinamen AZ present, It's the best We S
an do. White labor can't be had. We a
re offering so a month and a good v
wellinP-hous@. rent free, for an Amer
AN 10 run the pillow. Cinnamon can't c
q that work They haven't the in 5
diligence and the nerve. They will do L
hat they are told when once they I'M II
erstand, but It's precious hard work T
citing a new idea into their heads. Z
apanese better? Not half so good h
n unreliable lott wouldn't have them h
,und. Il
The American can't work In this b
innate? That's not proved The heat g
ere is nothing compared TO Kansas m L
scorching summer, and the winters G
re finer than in Southern California. =