Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1916-03-03
PEPEEkEG YIELD
PROBABLY Under
nine THOUSAND
Bad Weather Has andicapped
Cane to Be Harvested This
Year Almost From First

tons of sugar from cane ground in
1915. Pepeekeo will be lucky 10 get
yield of 5000 tons this year, according
TO reports submitted to the stockhold-
ers at their annual meeting today.
Out of net profits last year Of $47s,-
SAG the stockholders received 500, 900
or SO per cent in dividends. The bal
ance now totals $965,6s9. and prop
critics stand on the books at $6S6,7S9.
Cash on hand at the first of the year
exceeded $4,000. Last year 1t took
8.31 tons of cane for one ton Of sugar.
The annual report Of James Web
ster, manager, follows, in part:
Crop 1915. :.. .-...-. .. -- +.
THE crop harvested came up to its
early promise as young cane in 1913.
Climatic conditions In 1913 were in
every way ideal, and It may take
long time before they are duplicated
in Hawaii. All through the latter sea-
son we had just enough rain, with
never a drop too much for the health
OF young cane. Not an ounce OF fer
tilizer as lost by teaching. it all came
back in sugar. The rains were just
right for hurning our 1913 crop. On
several occasions It looked as II we
would be short Of water, but the proyi-
Dental shower always came along.
The year just closed t1915) came
near second TO 1913 as cane start
ing year, but il was altogether too dry
for fiuming. All through the season
we were handicapped in getting cane
to the mill ,Fluming expenses were
abnornlally high, as we had almost to |
push the cane along We had to
change around from fields that ran
short Of water to Others more favored,
which meant double handling Of
fumes. The shortage of water was
mostly felt on the upper fields. Our
fiune system catching all spring water
rising on the place, gave us enough
water to be able, at all times, to get
cane from the lower fields
I'VE also had five visitations Of fire
IN the cane fields, which caused us
considerable expense and inconveni-
ence moving things around.
Crop 1916.
This crop has a hard luck history
compared with that of 1916. From
the middle of April to well through
Septernber-the best growing period
Of the yearchood conditions pre-
vailed, over 80 feet of rainfall having
been registered st Honomu mauka sta
tion, which Is near enough to Pepee-
keo to be accepted. The fields were
in such constant saturation that It is
. wonder anything was able to ger
inmate. As IL was, buds that were
near the surface and above water,
came along and got 50 far ahead be-
fore the; end Of the food that they |
those buds that had not |
germinated and kept them where they
were.
the consequences is that the crop
is thin. What shoots did come along |
had got little more than q decent start |
when the dry weather OF 1916 struck |
them, and there was little growth till |
the rains began to come along In Oc- |
'tober Since then It has. been growing
in good shape. but 1t is rather late to |
be able to retrieve much of the lost |
time of two seasons. We shall be |
lucky II we get 5000 tons Of sugar for
1916.
Crop 1912. III ...E..
"A good deal more than half of the |
area Of this crop is In well forward /
condition and looking healthy. / ex-
pected TO see good deal OF tasseling |
on the earlier cut, but there is almost |
an entire absence OF il, which is In |
marked contrast to the season of 1914 |
when we had lots of tasseling. Held |
up as we were on the upper fields for /
want OF water, rather large area up |
there is later than / like to see it, but /
the ratoons have come along evenly /
and look healthy. With favorable /
season they can yet make fair show
ing.
Min and Boiling House.
I'VE have had no extensive or ex-
pensiye work on the plant this OF sea-
son. We have put new belts in the
last two cells Of our two sets of evap-
orators, and expect this will help do
way with entrainment troubles. We
had good deal OF roller trouble dur
ing the grinding season, and had to
have two new shells. One roller still
needs to have new, shell put on it.
Flume repairs have not been ex-
tensiye this season. The same may /
be said Of our buildings, which are in /
good condition. n.y..
Roads and Bridges.
The government must still be con.
templating taking over the road to
their homesteads. We have had to
put great deal of repairs on it for
our benefit, but would like to see them /
come forward and fulfil their part Of
the agreement. The performance Of |,
1t will not be any less costly or more
easily fulfilled, with the lapse Of
time" ii .-.....ssa