272 TRANSACTIONS OF THE AMERICAN INSTITUTE. 



Mr. Williams desired the gentleman to explain why, if one-fourth chicory 

 added to coffee improved it, he does not use all chicory ? 



Sandwich Island Sugar Cane. 



Mr. J. Q. A. Warren, San Francisco, Cal., says there are only seven or 

 eight sorts of cane in the Sandwich Islands, thoug'h the natives have about 

 three times as many names for their varieties, suited to all soils and situ- 

 ations. That mostly grown on the flat lands, near the coast, is called 

 Ko-kea; also, a sort called Opu-kea is the color of polished white wax, and, 

 having a tender rind, is much used to eat out of haud. The Lankona is 

 another lowland sort. On the drier and upland parts of the islands the red 

 cane is grown; the leading canes are: Honuaula, Opiaa and Papa, and red 

 striped sorts called Palespua, Manulele and Raole. 



The first sugar plantation at Hawaii was started by a Chinaman, over 60 

 years ago, on the small island of Lauai. The land was prepared and 

 planted by natives, with a hardwood implement shaped like a lance, and 

 called Oo, and the cane was crushed between two dressed stones, somewhat 

 thicker than a grindstone, and three feet in diameter, and. the juice boiled 

 in China iron pots, after the method pursued in the days of Confucius. The 

 Chinamen still use the Oo, but it is now made of steel. English and Yan- 

 kees use plows and spades. The Chinamen produce large crops without 

 the aid of plow, harrow or cultivation, simply with the 'Oo, which is evi- 

 dence of their skill is one sense as agriculturists. In very strong or rooty 

 land there is, perhaps, no better tool in the world than the Oo. 



The cane is not produced from seed, but cuttings of the stalks. Two 

 sticks 'of cane, cut one or two feet long, according to number and 

 healthfulness of buds, are put in each hill (or rather hole) ten or twelve 

 inches apart, and covered very lightly in wet, and deeper in dry weather. 

 In the drills, the sticks are laid continuous, sometimes one, but oftener two 

 rows, six or eight inches apart. The tops of the old canes which are unfit 

 to grind are generally used for planting. 



Ou the lowlands the season for planting is from June to November, and 

 the high land they plant any time when it is wet enough. 



After the cane is started so that the rows can be seen well, the plows, 

 cultivators and hoes are put to work among it; and these kept working 

 until the cane is large enough to take possession of the ground and keep 

 grass and weeds down itself. All cattle are fond of young cane, and, 

 therefore, have to be muzzled, much against their will and Scriptural teach- 

 ing, while working among it. After the joints are formed and matured to 

 a certain degree, the leaves- then die, and, in some varieties of cane, fall off 

 of themselves, but most have to be stripped off by force. This is called 

 " trashing," and is best done in wet weather. 



Opinions vary in regard to age or size, when the cane ought to be 

 thrashed; but doubtless they are all right, for different varieties and locali- 

 ties require different treatment, and this, like a thousand other special 

 modes in agricultural operations, must be left to individual experience. 



At the islands, the cane blossoms invariably within the isoghral line (if we 

 may coin a word applicable to cane), in the month of November, and seldom 

 an arrow shoots forth in any other month. As soon as the arrow withers, 



