Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-05-10

,R. WILCOX NOW SUGGESTS KUkUI
nut AS GOOD BUSINESS VENTURE

Fortunes are not handed every day
on silver trays to anyone who wishes
them. IL is not often a man comes
forward and tells one how to make a
fortune without a. string tied to it,
often rope.
But DIR. e. v. Wilcox, special agent
in charge of the federal Hawaii, is
one of the few men who point out
opportunities without having any
personal remunerative interest in
them.
Some time ago he suggested that a
plant be established to crush algaro-
pa seeds to be used for feed, which
resulted in company being formed
that has made remarkable success
out of the scheme with an ever in
<yreasing demand for the crushed
u heed
DIR. Wilcox now comes forward with
kuku nut proposition, one which he
says can be made as profitable as
the algsroba seed enterprise. Not
only does he suggest the opportunity
but he offers to give the data gained
from making many experiments to
any person who wishes to go in the
kukui oil business.
Il The, kukui oil is greatly in demand
by Large paint concerns. 1t is re-
garded as a far better oil than lin
seed; IL has a wine color deriyd from
the husks o. the nuts.
n DIR. Wilcox has prepared little
lletin on the subject, extracts from
psaich follow:
AS is well known to the old resi-
dents of. Hawaii, there was once an
industry OF quite respectable proper
tons in kukui ell exported from
Hawaii. The expectation amounted
to as much as S,00e to 10000 gallons
of oil per year, the greatest preduc-
ton of kukHi Oil having occurred
from 1870 to 1850. The oil even at
that date was valued at SO cents per
gallon. IL is reported that in 1851 a
native woman in Palolo valley ex-
pressed kukui oil at the rate of 140
gallons per month with a crude hand
made lever press, the nuts having
been previously roasted or boiled in
oil TO facilitate extraction.
ut is quite impossible to estimate
even approximately the quantity of
kukui nuts which could be collected
annually in Hawaii Every one
knows that the ground under kukui
trees is literally covered with nuts
of which few are used for any pur-
pose at present except in very small
quantities in the preparation of a ma
tive relish and occasionally for fuel.
According 20 our experiments in the
laboratory il would require 30 tons
OF nuts to produce 10000 gallons of
4 weighing 1856 pounds per gallon
or $500 pounds in all.
'eNith regard to the total area OF
kNkui in Hawaii we have obtained
- estimates of various individuals
who are personally familiar with for
est conditions in Hawaii Their esti-
mates range from 10000 TO 10000
acres. We may probably assume
$4,000 acres as a safe estimate. At
the date OF so trees per acre and 200
pounds of nuts per ire, there would
be a yield of eight tons of nuts per
acre. II has been found that algaro-
flyields from two to fourteen tons
Mlbeans per acre. A good stand of
Mkui will give larger product per
acre, and conservative estimate
would be five tons of nuts. On 5000
acres the annual crop of nuts would
thus be $4,000 tons. If we assume
that not more than 10000 acres of
this area are readily accessible the
yield would be $4,000 tons, which
would produce 2,375,000 gallons of
oil In 1911 the Importation of Chi
nese wood oil into the United States
amounted to 100000 gallons, and a
buyer in New York stated that his
frm alone could have used an addi-
ftohal 100000 gallons.
when we consider the constantly
Increasing demand for oils suitable
fof use in making paints, varnish and
soap. as well as for other purposes,
il seems high time that company
We're organized to utilize the large
quantity CT kukui nuts which annual
~ go TO waste in Hawaii. Not only