The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-02-08
MARKET FOR
OUR IS
HorticuIturist Higgins
Tells What May Be
Done.


An important report on the possibili-
ties of working up a profitable busl-
ness between here and the Coast by
the local fruit growers was made yes
terday afternoon at the meeting of
the Promotion Committee by J. Edgar
Higgins, hortieuIturist at the Hawaii
Experiment Station. Mr.. Higgins made
a trip to the cities of the Coast and
ON the Sound a short time ago, taking
a number of shipments of fresh fruits,
sent by way of testing the various
modes of packing and of handling IN
transit and at the destination. The
results of the trip have convinced Mr..
Higgins that there is future for the
Hawaiian small fruit industry.
Of especial interest to those who
might wish to go into this business of
exporting fruit, but who are handi-
capped by the lack of capital, is that
part of Mr.. Higgins report dealing
with papayas. This is fruit which
can be grown almost anywhere here
and with little trouble, while the grow
er does not have to wait for any
lengthy period for the trees to come
to maturity. There is big market
for the fruit on the Coast, practically
an unlimited one, the fact that it has
not been taken advantage of being
the fear that the tender fruit would
not stand the trip.
The recent tests show that this fear
is ungrounded, provided proper care is
given to the selection of the fruit be-
fore packing and to the manner of
packing. Mr.. Higgins found that when
papayas are packed in fiat boxes, con-
tanning a single layer, and the fruit
wrapped in paper SO as to prevent it
bruising and at the same time allow
ing a circulation of air through the
box, the shipment viii arrive in per-
feet condition at San Francisco. Part
of the shipment taken with him by
Mr.. Higgins was shipped from San
Francisco to Portland without being
IN cold storage, arriving there in such |
shape that the fruit was pronounced |
delicious when served at special |
luncheon of the Portland Commercial |
Club.
There is a market, too, on the Coast /
,or Hawaiian grapes during the off
season there. Here the grapes can be
grown to ripen at any desired time
If the year, the Portuguese growers
IN Punehbowl proving this by the way
hey have arranged not to break the
ocal grape market. A part of them
rim their vines to bear in January,
thers in February, and so on around
he calendar, each man having his
urn but none interfering with the
market of the others. The same thing
ould be employed to produce grapes
or export during the winter and early
pring months.
Avocado or alligator pears have an
market on the mainland, not
My on the Coast but wherever they
lay be shipped. In Chicago this fruit
occasionally imported from Mexico
nd parts of Florida and sells in the
ruit stores at from seventy-five cents
D dollar each, the supply, even at
hat price, never coming up to the
For mangoes there would be also an
xtensive market, but unfortunately
lie presence of the mango weevil here
ould probably result in shipments of
lis fruit being condemned by the fruit
lspectors. {,
The presence of other pests among
lie fruit and vegetables would also in
'rfere with the shipments of fresh
egetables, such as cucumhers and to- :
atoes, although if care were taken in {
lie selection of the vegetables to be L
iipped and the authorities on the t
past impressed with the fact, profit Q
Die industry might be worked up. The
arket is there anyway. t
Sweet potatoes is another line in t
hich Mr.. Higgins believes great deal a
'uld be done. During the seasons
hen the crop from the South is out, d
ese vegetables bring three cents a o
,und in San Francisco, at which t
yure there would be a comfortable e
argin of profit for Hawaiian ex- t
,rters. t