The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-12-03

needed soil. Captain Piltz states that
the vegetable beds there are doing Won
derfully well.
Inc sand gets so warm that, if let
tuee, or anything green is planted, no
matter how carefully it is watered, it
springs up so fast that it willis almost
as soon as it appears above the surface
This is obviated by using a top layer of
soil brought from Honolulu, and shad-
ing the vegetables with screens. By
/ this method they are able to raise fine
| lettuce. beets, watermelons and few
potatoes.
In addition to the soil, the Flaurence
/ Ward will carry another consignment
of shrubs ard trees. The willow trees
are doing finely, and some of the iron
wood trees are also Furnishing. Cap
tain Piltz says that, before he has
made many more trips, he expects to
see the island quite a mass of green.
They revive whiting shrubs by doses of
muddy water.
The Flaurence Ward has had entirely
new standing rigging put on since she
has been in port. The foremost side
stays, that gave way on her last trip,
have been replaced by stouter wire,
/ and, while this was being done, it was
thought well to fix her main rigging,
too. Forestays, ratIines and preventers
have all been put in new, and she is
now ready to take all the blow that
comes along.
1t is not generally known that the
cable schooner has an enormous spin
maker that is used on the run from
Ill,
in the forepeak is a forty-foet boom
which they get out as soon as they are
far enough from the harbor to get a
fair wind. This is rugged on goose
neck on the foremast, and the light
sail is hoisted to the peak of the lore
mast and swung out to the end of the
boom. When she gets live following
breeze, the schooner kicks up her heels
and reels off better than two hundred
knots.
Sheath on Melancthon.
The almost derelict barge Melanc-
thon, sometime windjammer of great
and famous speed qualities, is being
resuscitated. The government has de-
cided to spend little money and get
her in working order, and with this
end in view, has had her hauled out
on the marine railway.
A large force of men is at work on
her bilge and keel. The old eaulking
is being torn out, the worm eaten
places sawed out and reflled with new
! lumber, and, when she has been thor
oughly cured and recaulked, she will
be entirely sheathed, below the water
line, with copper.
Strangely enough, the ancient hulk
is not badly damaged by the worms.
! Almost her entire port side is intact,
while the leaks came from savage in
roads of worms in only about six
places on her starboard side. These
places have all been dug out and fill
ed IN, and, with the majority of her
timbers perfectly sound, her planking
all sound and watertight sheathing
of copper, the Melancthon should be
good for use as barge from now until
! eyermOre.
Arcona May Arrive.
The German cruiser Arcona is due
! to arrive from San Francisco, via San
Diego, some time today.
Thomas on Sunday.
| The Thomas is due to arrive here
/ from Manila tomorrow, but may not
get here until Sunday morning, the
time Of her arrival depending very
much on the weather she encounters
/ between now and then.
| Hogs on Claudine.
The Claudine came in from Hilo and
Maui ports yesterday morning, with a
full passenger list and good load of
/ freight. Included in the latter was
cord wood, corn, barrels of wine aud a
big bunch of hogs that enlivened the
waterfront with squeals while they
- L. H. Ill