124 TEE IRRIGATION AG E. 



the first year, The second year's expenses are $3,080, and the third, 

 $5,070. The crop that year yields about $3,600 and from that time on the 

 value of the crop exceeds the expenses, so that with ordinary conditions, 

 and at the previous basis, the end of the seventh year will show a net 

 profit of over $20,000. 



While the farmer is waiting for this coffee plantation to develop he 

 can not only support his family by raising fruits, grain and vegetables, 

 but make a profit by the sale of the surplus. Nearly all the vegetables 

 native to America can be grown here in great profusion, as well as small 

 fruits, such as strawberries, raspberries, etc., while pears and a variety 

 of native peaches may also be grown. The pineapple is one of the fruits 

 indigenous to the islands and there are many native food plants unknown 

 to foreigners. Bananas will thrive on the same soil that will grow cof- 

 fee, and there is also a kind of tea plant that is native to the country. 

 All these things and many more may be profitably raised, to say nothing 

 of the principal staples, which, as every one knows, are sugar and rice. 



With reference to acquiring government lands under the unoccupied 

 land grant, there is this general qualification: "Applicants for land 

 must be over eighteen years of age. must be citizens by birth or natural- 

 ization or have received letters of denization or special rights of citizen- 

 ship, be under no civil disability for any offense, nor delinquent in the 

 payment of taxes." Under the homestead lease system a person duly 

 qualified may obtain a, grant of land by paying a fee of $2 upon applica- 

 tion and $5 when the homestead lease is issued. 



In 1890 the census returns showed a population of 90,000, and while 

 the last census is not given it is estimated to be 109,000, of which about 

 one seventh are Americans and Europeans. 



The public debt of the country on Jan. 1, 1896 was $3,764,335 and 

 the revenue for the preceding year, including taxes, licenses and custom 

 revenues amounted to $1,740.065.19. 



Employments are overstocked and those who have no capital but 

 their trade had best remain at home as many have gone to the islands 

 looking for work only to be disappointed. 



The public school system, which is very similar to that of the United 

 States, is unusually good, and is strictly non sectarian. So much so that 

 the amendment to the school laws, passed in 1896, provides that "No 

 person in holy orders or a minister of religion shall be eligible as a com- 

 missioner. Women shall be eligible to be .appointed as commissioners; 

 provided, however, that not more than two shall hold commissions at 

 any time." 



The first printing in Hawaii, according to Alexander's "Brief His- 

 tory of the Hawaiian people/' was done Jan. 7, 1822, it being work on a 

 school book. Missionaries persuaded the king and chief to try to learn 

 to read and write and the king, with the usual forethought of monarchs, 

 "ordered two or three of his more intelligent subjects to try this matter, 

 and see if it were safe, in which case he himself would follow." Finding 



