The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1913-08-05

(Mail Specia 10, The Advcrtiser.) J

N-'"' 'P'NAaiitstot \ nc AuNcfllser.)
WAlLUKU, August AT the pres.
ent time Papaias are barred from the
mainland markets by the federal quar-.
antine, although according to best au.
thorities it is extremely doubtful il
this fruit is subject to the attack of
the Mediterranean fruit fly. The dis.
coNery that the papaia tree may be
grated with the greatest case, is be.
lieved by many to mark the dawn of a
most important industry in the impor.
tation of this luscious fruit into the
mainland markets, where it is now
scarcely known. ~
Doctor Wilcox of the federal experi.
mcnt station believes that the papaia
could be made exceedingly popular on
the Coast. He states that the graft
! ing process recently discovered by the
Florida experiment station is ride.
ulously simple, and that it, has beer
done repeatedly at the Honolulu sta
tion. BY this means it is possible to
perpetuate any of the great variety of
strains now known which Is very diff
ficult from seedlings. II would seem
to be an easy matter to produce
strain which would combine good flavor
with productiveness and shipping qual.
ity. n ~ =
AS to the matter of the present quar-.
antine, Doctor Wilcox states that this
could be removed in case ii is ,jossible
to convince the federal department that
there is no danger to be feared of its
harboring the dreaded pest. Should
the parasite which was RECENTLY intro.
duced into the Territory from Africa.
ard which seems to- have already be.
come established in number of local.
ities, prove efficacious as is expected.
in reducing the number of fruit flies.
it will probably be comparatively easy
to obtain modification Of the quar-.
antine.
Banana is King.
But the fruit which might do more
for Hawaii than any other, according
to Doctor Wilcox, is the banana. Once
the United Fruit Company, or some
other corporation strong enough to en-
ter the lists with the "fruit trust,D as
this gigantic organization is known, en-
ters the local field, these Islands will
not only be able to furnish an enor- |
nous tonnage, but the fast fruit steam.
"uiNl VIII pt VIII also |
be the finest kind of passenger vessels, !
and the tourist traffic will be doomed
ms it has never been before. When this |
time comes, Maui will come into her |
own. The hundreds of square miles |
of mountain sides in Koolau district |
now covered with jungles and wild
bananas, will become one vast banana
plantation. No place in the Territory
s. IL. A. IL
than is this moist section, although |
many tons of excellent fruit could also |
be grown in almost every kuleana in
the island which has moderate |
amount of rainfall
Plans That Failed.
1t is probably only question of time |
until Hawaii's s possibilities as tropical |
fruit producing center will be realized |
Several false starts have already been |
made in this direction. Two or three
years ago it seemed practically assured |
that the United Fruit Company was
prepared to supply its Pacific Coast
trade from here, on the very fattering |
reports made by several representa-. |
tives of the company who investigated |
conditions. Two vessels, it is said, had |
been set apart for this service, and ar
rangements had been made for import. |
ing a cargo of Bluefcld banana suckers
for starting planting in the Islands.
And then, for some unknown reason
the whole arrangements were called of
or indefinitely postponed. 1t is sus
pectcd that the Southern Pacific Rail
road, which now carries practically all
of the great quantity of bananas con
suintd throughout the Western and
Northwestern States and Western Can
ada, for three or four thousand miles
from New Orleans, had something to
do in the matter.
i Another abortiyc attempt came about
directly as a result of the passage of
the federal quarantine law a few
months ago, which hit Hawaii so hard.
y very large firm OF Portland, Oregon,
was about to attempt to establish
general fruit business from the Islands.
1t was the intention to put on vessels
for this trade, and to handle not only
bananas of various varieties, but all
other, tropical fruits for which it was
Believed good market could be estab-
lished in the Coast cities.
May Try Grapes.
1t is probable that number of the
in the Haiku district win
make an effort to grow grapes on their
holdings. 1t is believed that an equal,
If not superior, wine grape may be
grown on the lower homestead lands
than is now grown in the Kaupakalua
district. The fact that great quantities
Of table grapes are now imported from
California makes it likely that an eff
fort will be made to capture this busi-
ness by local horticulturists. The grape,
according to DR.. Wilcox, does not seem
to be troubled by the fruit fly, and !
Onnrass;ve Haaf Affa.