The Hawaiian gazette., 1904-11-04

-mu.wu>n.@nmn-uuu.r--~n>unmmmm
n ,hints vs. kal, vNsf, smaii i,smine
hat istn carried "a inf some yeaft. ]
d.d nui expect that ytn would publish
chat letter II Nat Written slmply a.
faN tUHf attention go Nhsi hat been
attempted Boo fhn lime iuf ihc past ten
nf fifteen tor u ihai district and io
tHaprt Chat SOME Hi the results und
present conditions De- csam0utd
Since sou request further information
M ihc subject ! take ibis opportunity
to point ont a few things which ] have
observed during the last Eve months
that ! have spent IN the district
Commenting on the crops raised you
state that Won were not recommending
the raising ~ temperate zone products
but only tropical. Since the climate
Of kula resembles in many ways that
Of a scmi-tempcfatc one, why should II
not offer a good opportunity 10 raise
those products which grow well IN such
places find ready sale here, and so
save importing such products
Corn, potatoes, and beans certainly
grow well in kula and are always in
great demand Corn is used very large
~ as cattle feed all over the Island and
potatoes and beans find ready sale.
Such vegetables as peas and caulitower,
which are difficult to raise on the Is
lands, thrive well in Kula and are as
fine as grown in many parts of the
States. In the fruit line the peaches
are excellent also the figs. Pigs, turkeys,
and chickens thrive well so that one
would naturally conclude that Kula
would be an ideal place for the small
farmer. Such it would be if the
obstacles were not so great, and it is
the various obstacles that have to be
overcome, that 1t seems to me should
be plainly shown UP, and not only the
most favorable conditions.
The difficulties in the way OF success
are many but | will simply enumerate
a few of them in order that one may
see both sides OF this subject which you
seem to be promoting in such glowing
terms.
First. Distance from source OF sup
plies, and market for products. The
nearest good stores are from fifteen to
twenty miles distant. The cost of haul
ing supplies ranges from FIVE to ten
dollars ton The cost of hauling
lumber is fifteen dollars a thousand feet
just about half its original cost. This
heavy expense is practically doubled for
it costs about the same TO get products
to the nearest market. To ship to Homo
lulu. the cost OF freight must be added,
so that to send ton of potatoes to
Paia or Kahului costs S. and to Homo
lulu with the necessary extra handling,
besides the freight the expense is about
$3.50. When the gross price received
is only from SIS to SEQ the margin of
profit is small. Then take into account
rent of land and labor TO raise the crop,
and the profit dwindles to mere
nothing.
Second. Pests The past few years
young corn from being totally destroyed
the fields and sprinkle mixture of
-four and Paris Green on every spear
of corn. Usually this is done twice.
during the first month or two. Think
of this labor besides the cost of the
material. The potatoes and all vege-
tables have to be treated in this same
manner Various bights also attack
these products which cause further
loss
Third. Climatic conditions If the
summer is particularly dry which is the
case every few years the growth is
very much retarded and the crop is
small and poor. On the other hand
if a heavy rain sets in the soil is so
soft and fine that the better soil is wash
ed down into the beds of the streams,
or washouts occur here and there
through the fields, causing much dam
age and loss. Ii is impossible to do
any irrigating as there are no streams
at all except for few hours after a
heavy rain All the water used has to
be caught from the roofs of houses and
stored in large cement cisterns, the
original cost of which is another item
in expense which has to be taken into
consideration 1t is practically impos-
sible to use fertilizers on the fields on
account OF the expense of getting such
materials there, and also because the
heavy winter rains wash off so much
of the top soil.
There used to be a good profit in
pigs but the price OF pork has steadily
declined in the past few years so that
now the margin OF profit is very small.
Various diseases have also become
prevalent so that some people have
given up raising pigs almost entirely
Chickens do well, also turkeys. and eggs
are abundant. but the cost of getting
them to market is so great in COM
parson to the net returns that the profit
is small.
Taking into consideration, therefore,
all these various difficulties, small farm
ing in Kua certainly has many and
serious drawbacks. So much so that
the Portuguese and Chinese who used
to be largely interested there have been
leaving steadily for the past few years
The Japanese have been taking their
places to a large extent but do not seem
to be doing any better. In conversation
with the proprietor OF a store in the
district he stated that throughout Kula
the people were very hard up and it was
difficult to collect bills for supplies
Many are now turning their attention to
the castor bean hoping that may prove
profitable 1t is merely an experiment
as yet but | sincerely hope they may
succeed Certainly those living in the
district deserve to succeed after con
tending with so many difficulties, But
do not see how any one can conSclen-