The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1908-05-14
WHAT CHINESE DO FOR HAWAII.
They Produce Practically All the
Vegetables Grown on the Islands.

Vegetables Grown on the Islands.
Wherever there is a rice field of
any size water bulfaloes are to be
found. Their owners take excellent
care of them and are usually proud
CT their condition. On one ,lanta-
tion | found a stable in which six OF
these animals were feeding The
buffalo whose chief delight is wad-
Ing through mud seems to have an
distinctive dislike for the whit. -ace,
and often refuses to work under
their control. and in one or two in
stances white men have been obliged
to seek safety in flight from the re-
bellious disposition of these beasts.
They seem to understand the Chi
nese language, and know instantly
when Cinnamon are holding the
reins, and under their guidance are
perfectly gentle and obedient to
every command. | saw an example
tf their antipathy for our race. when
a Chinaman allowed a white boy to
make an attempt to drive one of his
animals. The buffalo at first re-
fused to move. and then, stamping
his foot he started off in the wrong
direction and was wholly unmanage-
Lble. A few moments later his mas
ter took up the reins and he became
as docile as a pet dog. These animals
are healthy and strong and one
working well before the plow is
worth $500.
Birds are pest In rice culture,
and all sorts of means are adopted
to keep them off the fields. A China
mans idea of a scarecrow, is a
pole with a white flag on the top, and
hundreds of these are planted in the
fields. Another mode or getting rid
of these pests is by beating on tin
cans to frighten them away and
often men will shoot and eat them
out of sheer revenge. The grass
hopper is also an enemy to be dealt
with, az it attacks the crop while yet
in flower. Every plantation has a
large concrete floor in the open air,
on which to dry the crop. After
thrashing the rice from the straw
It is gathered into rows and dried
while still in the hull, and here the
water buffalo Is used again, by be-
ing hitched to a wooden shovel ani
driven abou, the floor until the rice
Is piled up ready for bagging,
At least five thousand Chinese are
employed in the production of rice
in Hawaii. They also control the
taro patches from which poi, the
principal Ha wa,ian food is made.
Many Chinese are engaged in raising
GLcks, while the sole occupation OF
others is the raising of chickens. AS
eggs retail from twenty-five to sixty
cents per ,oZen, and live chickens
from ten 10 twelve dclars per dozen,
this business should be profitable;
but there is sometimes considerable
loss due TO the rayages of peculiar
topical disease. which Is fatal to
young chickens, The Chinese pro-
duce practically all of the 'egeta-
blcs grown in the islands and sell
them from door to doo,,
The Chinese are by Iar the best
workers in the cane fields, are quiet
and peaceable in manner and atten-
tive to duty, giving the overseers lit
tie or no trouble. Less than two
thousands, however, are to he found
on the sugar plantations at present.
as the Chinese Exclusion act settled
coolie immigration. A number OF
the native born have become steno-
graphers and IRE employed by Amer
icars A professional man of Homo
lulu told me that his secretary, Chi
Les. youth whom he paid hirtyhVe
dollars per month, was simply per-
feet. Mrs. G. r. Miller in Lesl'e's
Weekly