Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-02-20
GOOD PROSPECTS
Shown F 0 R
kAHUKU

the report contains interesting in
formation on improvements, the bat
tie with the borer and the bonus TO
laborers. ~ =. 49,: ~
Last year the yield from Kahuku
fields was 5840.3 tons. against an
estimate of 500 tons, and sugar
manufactured from cane grown by
outside planters brought the total
production to 1924 tons. Although the
average cost of the crop was high,
owing to the higher levels being in
cluded in the crop. this was partly
offset by the high price at which
much of the sugar was marketed The
average yield of cane per acre was
54.46 tons, 22S tons greater than the
average for the crop of 1911. The
average yield of sugar per acre was
$50 tons, as compared with 5.13 tons
in 1911, and the percentage of sucrose
in the cane was also higher. On ac-
count of scarcity of labor the fac
tory was operating only one shift daily
during the latter part of the season,
which the manager says was not con-
duciye of economy, but with the elimi-
nation of short rattoons it viii be pos
sible to avoid much of the half time
manufacturing.
Crop of 1913.-This crop is esti-
mated to yield $500 tons of sugar
from 1865 acres. The acreage is
smaller than for several years past,
but larger proportion than usual of
the total is in plant cane and long
ratoons. There are but ~ acres of
short ratoons in the crop. The aver
age yield should be higher than last
year. During the early period of its
growth the cane suffered from lack
of sufficient cultivation owing to the
shortage of labor, hut It had a re-
markable growth during the drought
of 1912, since nearly the whole area
of this crop is under the pump sys-
tenn and the pumps were supplying all
the water necessary for irrigation.
Harvesting was commenced during
the first week in November. About
$500 tons of Kahuku sugar has been
produced to date, of which nearly
200 tons has already been shipped
from Honolulu. The average sucrose
in cane to date has been higher than
for several years past.
Crop of 1914.-This crop will be
harvested from 103S.07 acres, of
which 297.28 is plant cane and 740.79
is long ratoons. Nearly two-fifths of
the area is in Yellow Caledonia cane,
the good returns from this variety
having seemed to warrant the in
crease in proportion of it to Lahaina.
The short ratoons have been entirely
illuminated Tho Mo ntinU uac An
ished early and the ratoons were TAX
en- under cultivation in good season.
There was also good supply of wa
ter during the drought, so that the
cane has made an unusual growth.
Should favorable conditions continue,
the cane should yield banner crop
of sugar per acre.
Crop of 1915.-Plowing in prepara-
ton for this crop was commenced
early in December 1t is proposed
planting about 200 acres in Yellow
Caledonia cane. There will be 125
acres of ratoons of this variety also.
Improvements. - Nearly $4,000
was expended in improvements dur
ing the year. These included an Oil
yer pillow for deep blowing, three high
pressure boilers for the factory, adj
ditional dwelling houses for both
skilled and semi-skilled employees, an
isolation ward and the completion
of the sewage disposal plant at the
hospital, additions to the railroad and
rolling stock equipment and the COM
pletion of the new boiler installation
at Pump No. 3. Only minor improve
ments are contemplated for this year.
"Tachinid Philosophical mention
was made in the report of last year
of the good work done by this enemy
of the cane Eorer pest. The distri-
button of this parasite over the fields
is thorough. The reduction in the
number of borers is extremely graft.
flying and to it is probably due much
of the increase IN the sucrose content
of the cane harvested this season.
Generals a result of the high
average price of sugar, the percent
age bonus system in operation dur
ing the year worked out well for the
laborers. Over $4,000 was paid out in
bonus to employees receiving less than
$50 per month.
Work continued on the cement
drainage system. There. was no case
of serious illness due to local causes
during the year" .-.....
Treasurer's Report. "
Treasurer j. Waterhouse reports:
During the year the company, in adj
dition to payment OF the regular dIvl-
dend of 10 cents. per share, has paid
three extra dividends of ID cents each.
1t is the intention of the directors
to maintain the present monthly divi-
dend of 10 cents per share during the
coming year l.. ,
Assets of the company amount to
SI162. 0SS:17, consisting of permanent
improvements at S701,172.22, growing
crops at $311.57191 and miscellaneous
at sI49,344.04 Liabilities to balance
include 100000 capital stock and
S125 S2S.B4 surplus, the remainder
consisting of the floating indebted
ness on December 81; 1919, duly Item
lied The profit en- sugar and sundry
earnings for 1912 amounted to S116.-
56S06 After paying SS2,500 in divi-
dends, S34.06S.06 was carried to sur
plus account. bringing it to the
amount ALREADY stated "a
Officers of Kahuku Plantation Co,