THE jHAWAIIAN 



fORESTER I AGRICULTURIST 



Vol III. DECEMBER, 1906 No. 12 



Tlie sisal fiber produced by the local plantation continues 

 to be of excellent quality and to compare favorably with that 

 grown elsewhere. The Portland Cordage Company recently 

 was the consignee of a ton of Hawaiian sisal to manufacture 

 into rope. Hitherto almost the entire output of sisal from the 

 islands has been received by the Tubbs Cordage Company of 

 San Francisco. An exhibit of Hawaiian fiber at the recent 

 Minneapolis State Fair was very favorably commented upon 

 by the local judges. 



It is to be hoped that the experiment by Mr. H. Roberts in 

 sun-dried mangoes will lead to sufticient interest in the subject 

 to induce other growers to make a similar attempt. The dried 

 fruit, as shown at the last Farmers' Institute meeting, met 

 with very general favor, and many well known fruit growers 

 present expressed their opinion that the product could be mar- 

 keted on the coast. During next mango season, the best 

 method of curing the fruit should be determined, and owners 

 of mango trees could not do better than write in the meantime 

 to mainland agents to arrange an experimental shipment. In 

 this case, as it is always in initial ventures, it is imperative that 

 our first consignments should also be the best of which we 

 are capable in order to attract favorable criticism, and due at- 

 tention should be paid to such qualities as cleanliness and ap- 

 pearance. With our prolific mango crop and the ready help 

 to be obtained from the youths of Honolulu, there is no reason 

 why the sun drying of mangoes should not be profitable. 



The introduction of harvesting machinery into the Hawaiian 

 rice fields, if at all commensurate with the benefit derived from 

 former similar experiments in other countries, is one which is 

 probable in time to entirely change the aspect of the condi- 

 tions of this industry and to remove it from an old historic 

 and picturesque survival into the position of being able to 

 take adantage of the latest achievement of modern science. 



