The Hawaiian gazette., 1905-05-19

d
about 30 degrees. with the last buds
appearing above the dirt that the
planter has filed in around them
Fields are planted from January un-
til May, so that they may ripen in
rotation, and thus furnish continu-
Gus supply for the mill.
"At La Granja 1t will not be neces-
sary to plant new tops for the next FIVE
to eight years. l am informed by my
neighboring hacienderos. The soil here
is very rich.
''As soon as the cane is 10 inches
high the plow is run through twice be-
tween each two rows, throwing the
dirt away from the cane; then a very
careful hoeing is given.
when the cane has reached height
of feet, 1t should be plowed again,
the dirt being thrown toward the rows,
so that the water during the rainy sea-
son will not injure the cane. This is
generally the final blowing.
After another hoeing and wedding,
no further cultivation is necessary, I'M
less the weeds should get started again
before the rainy season; for, during the
rainy season. the ground is too wet and
the cane too large to admit of cultiva-
ton. During this season of the year
special attention should be given to
keeping the drainage bitches open
along the lower side of the cane fields.
w. "a great saving of labor could be
effected by the use of a pillow taking
| two burrows within inches of the
cane and throwing the burrows in the
! 10 n he a
chance to get in between the cane to
destroy all weeds. This will also loosen
/ up the ground around the plant, so as
| to give the roots chance to penetrate
/ into the soil.
! After the cane is, say, 8 feet high,
it could be\ru through with double
moldboard pillow. This would throw
the dirt toward the cane. and give it
the proper amount of soil, and also
make an irrigation ditch in the center
which, in case of heavy raius. could
also carry off the surplus water.
IF water is applied during the dry
season, it results beneficially; but at
E. other times irrigation weakens the sac
charinity of the cane, and it's total
value is too small to warrant more
when the cane yellows, the lower
i leaves turn dry, the stalks become
brittle, and the flowers Gf there are
any fall, the cane is considered ripe,
and it is cut off close to the ground
with bolos. The tops are cut off at
the same time and thrown in rows for
fodder, the leaves stripped off, and the
cane hauled to the mill in carts or
on tramways. If mills were built at
the lower edge of the farms, a system
of gravity incline tramways reaching
out into the fields like the extended
fingers on a hand, would enable the
hacienderos to transport the cane to
the mill without using work animals
except for the return of the car.
las harvesting and planting are
both carried on at the same time In
sugar raising, an extra large force OF
work animals must be kept throughout
: the year for this double labor; hence
this would be an advantage, as il
would reduce the number required
"All workers on haciendas receive
both board and salary. The board us
ually costs the haciendero / peso csc
cents in gold week per man.
The salary of the capataz farm fore
, man or overseer) is As pesos per month
that of the cabo foreman) % pesos
the mill hands s pesos, and the field
hands 6 pesos per month.
"On La Granja the laborers board
themselves and the wages are 1mewhat
higher than the board and wages paid
elsewhere. the field hands wages be.
ing SO to 80 cents, Conant, per day ant
+, those of native teamsters from rs cents
to l peso, Conant, per day.
.. In spite of all that has been said
of the Filipino as inefficient we mus
bring in minority report. Some. 1t is
true, are found to be averse to labor
J and their services are quickly dispens
ed with; some are unfit for any but
the commonest manual labor, Will,
there are others who quickly learn t.
handle horses and to perform the usua
farm operations. In short we observe
the same characteristics among labor
: ers here that appear in laborers in tn,
United States. except that a Filipin,
Is unskilled at first. and does not worl
= as many days a month as the laborer
3 in the United States do this latte
fewer wants.
1.-The laborers on "a Granja are no
!, contracted for, as is the custom anon
J, hacienderos, the rule among hacien
deros being to pay some labor con
q tractor 10 pesos for each native la
borer. the contractor securing the la
T. borers on some other island Thes
! men must work through the entire su
: gar season, and a certain amount @
y their pay is always withheld in orde
. to keep them at work.
e AT La Granja we have not yet ex
perienced any trouble in getting all tn
IT employees required. Each native o
Is La Granja is given small plot c
Is ground upon which to raise his ca
IT notes. corn. and other necessaries {
n life. The natives are much better car
n ed for at La Granja. and we have les
friction with native help than the hs