The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-05-26
CONDITION
OF INDUSTRY
Interesting acts
Concerning Our
Bananas.
paIolo Valley May Be
Used for Their
Culture.
Pratt Talks Of Value Of Land
Suitable and Of It's
Location.

some interesting facts were brought
out at yesterdays meeting of the Board
of Agriculture and Forestry IN conaec-
ton with reply which the board Is
to forward to a mainland inquirer con-
corning the banana industry here. The
board authorized the dispatch of the
following letter, prepared by Messrs.
James D. Dole and j. F. Brown of the
Committee on Agriculture:
Honolulu, T. H., May 20, 1904.
W. Lewes Evans, Esq, Hacienda La
Philadelphia, :, Banana River, Costa
Rica, c. A.
Dear Sir: Replying 10 your letter of
March 21st, inquiring as to the possi-
bilities Of banana growing in the Ha-
waiian Islands, we take pleasure in Civ
ing you the following information:
In order to make the subject clear to
you, we will at once explain that while
the bulk of the Hawaiian bananas are
grown on the island of Oahu, and ship
ped through the port of Honolulu, APP
parently the greatest opportunity for
development of the business is on the
lar er island of Hawaii, with ship
ments through the port of Hilo. Ba-
nanas are now being shipped from Hilo
to San Francisco, and also from the
port ofxnhulsli, on the island of Maui
Froni these points steamers do not at
present make regular sailings more fire.
quently than once month, so the diff
ficulty is chiefly one of transportation.
It is however, unlikely that there
would be any difficulty in obtaining
transportation for bananas. once there
IL
From Honolulu. there are usually
from four to six steamers a month,
and they take from five to seven days
IN making the passage to San Francisco.
Taking up your list of questions, we
viii answer them in order.
i. Parts of the five. largest islands
are adapted to bananas, but CONNER
cially. at present. only Oahu, Maui and
Hawaii.
q 1t is difTicult to say what the aver
age value OF banana land is. The Ter
rftorial Government has disposed OF
such land at from $500 to $500 per acre,
and from that up to $4,000 or $4,000.
Further 1nforaiaation on this subjecr
win be forwarded to you from the Land
ONCE.
8. Average wages are about Is cents
per day.
4. Labor employed is chiefly Japanese
and Chinese, the former prtsdoaninating.
These laborers are transient, for the
most part. and consequently the labor
supply is somewhat uncertain, and at
times is rather scarce.
s. Most of the bananas now shipped
frcm Honolulu are either raised in the
close vicinity to the city, and hauled to
the wharves in wagons, or are brought
into town on the Oahu Railway, from
points along the shore line. The rail-
road rates from Honolulu run from six
cents a bunch at twelve miles out. TO
twelve cents a bunch at ffty-six miles
out. The Hflo Railroad Company have
been requested to forward to you a
schedule of their rates to Hilo, Island
of Hawaii,) from points in the Hilo,
lOlaa and Puma districts. Rate from
Honolulu to San Francisco, is forty
cents per bunch, from Hiio, forty-five
cents, irrespective of size.
Z. The average weight of banana
punches grown here is estimated at
from fifty to eighty pounds, and the
number of hands will probably fall
slightly under nine.
8. Bananas are grown here on various
classes of soil. alluvial mud volcanic
clayey soils. and porous volcanic soils.
9. Bananas are raised all the way
from sea level to an elevation of two
or three thousand feet.
10. Climate excellent throughout the
Islands. There is little. If any fever,
except in low swamp land.
II. Yearly rainfall varies, according
to locality and elevation. In some dis
tricts, bananas are grown by means of
irrigation, where the rainfall is less
~ ,.a1xo III
age rainfall in the Hilo and Olaa ba-
mana districts runs about 100 to IT'S
inches per annunl.
II. There are some swamp areas
near the shore line. but these are usual
" small, and if valuable are already
planted in bananas, rice. or taro, and
are held at a high price. Spaces in
sheltered valleys are usually of small
extent.
IL. 1t is doubtful if suitable land in
any considerable amount can be had on
the island of Oahu, though there are
Some lands that could be purchased,
bur would require irrigation. and would
be held at not less than 800 per acre
Ia. AS previously stated, further in
formation in regard to Government
lands viii be forwarded To you from
the Land Once.
j5. There are no large syndicates
now engag ed in the banana business.
Most of the fruit IS grown by Chinese
1essees OF small holdings. who sell their
fruit to two or three buyers In Ho-
noIuIu The latter make the shipments
A number of Americans are raising ba-
nanas IN the vicinity of TIilo.
16. At present the shipments of ba-
nanas are approximately as follows.
From Honolulu. 1900 TO 10000 punches
per month from HiIo. $500 to $500
punches per month. Increasing; from
Kahului. 600 to 1900 punches per
month. recently started.