1852, 
THE CULTIVATOR. 
209 
and reside at Honolulu; though many are scattered about 
on the different islands, and are engaged in planting, &c> 
The natives are of an olive color, or quite similar in 
shade to the inside of an English walnut. Many are 
finely formed, and they are generally above, rather than 
below medium stature. The chiefs especially are men 
of large frame, and are occasionally seen 6| feet in height, 
and in weight, upwards of three hundred pounds. As 
the nation has become more enlightened, many privileges 
have been granted to the people. Formerly they were 
in a state of slavery to the king and chiefs. They pos¬ 
sessed no land of their own; but were obliged to culti¬ 
vate it for their rulers. At the present time the old sys¬ 
tem has been done away with, and the natives are made 
possessors of land in fee simple. 
Their chief production is the Kals, ( arumesculentum ,) 
which in the region of the coast is cultivated in patches, 
and requires constant irrigation. The Kals is about a 
year in attaining maturity. It is propagated by separa¬ 
ting the stalks from the vegetable and planting it in the 
mud of the patch. This, when cooked, constitutes their 
chief article of diet. 
The natives are making advancement in the customs 
and habits of civilized people. Their houses externally 
and internally are being modeled after the style of foreign 
dwellings so far as they are capable of doing it. 
They are not, as a people, very industrious or enter¬ 
prising; but there are some among them who, as they 
gain ideas of business from foreigners, put such knowledge 
to their own use. Imported implements, as plows, 
spades, shovels and hoes, are becoming quite in demand. 
In the agricultural districts their chief implement in 
breaking up the ground as well as in cultivating the crops, 
is a species of spear, or an instrument similar to the spade 
used by whalemen. 
Although their chief attention is given to the cultiva¬ 
tion of Kals, they grow both sweet and Irish potatoes, 
squashes and melons. The market of Honolulu is also 
supplied with tomatoes, cabbages, beans, cucumbers and 
onions. 
The manner of conveying their produce and carrying 
burdens, is very generally by means of a pole which they 
bear on their shoulders, the weight being attached to the 
extremities. Thus from all sections of the island, the 
natives may be seen on their way to market—some with 
a dozen or two of fowls tied at the one end of their lever 
and balanced by a pig at the other; other with large 
calabashes enclosed within nets, thus convey their Kals 
or fish. Donkeys and cattle are trained to carry burdens 
on their backs and are very serviceable in crossing preci¬ 
pices. I am sir, yours very truly. W. C. 
A Fine Farm. 
The American Farmer contains a description of Shir¬ 
ley estate on James River in Virginia, containing 900 
acres of cultivated land, divided into five fields, from 175 
to 190 acres each. The rotations are corn, wheat,clover 
fallow, wheat pasture; thus affording some 860 acres for 
wheat. Rather hard cropping,—yet so much better than 
common treatment, that the fallow wheat has been esti¬ 
mated at 80 bushels per acre, and that on corn land 20 
to 25 bushels, where once only 12 to 14 were obtained. 
The corn formerly yielded but five to seven barrels, now 
10 to 12. One great secret of success is lime, clover, and 
plaster. The wheat drill and reaping machine are used; 
and threshing performed by mule power, at the rate of 
300 bushels per day, the process of winnowing being 
completed in the barn basement at the same operation. 
Complete system and order prevails, and there is a place 
for every thihg, and every thing in its place. 
Steam Engine for Farm Work, &c. 
Eds. Cultivator— I am a young farmer, and zealous 
in the course of scientific agricultural improvement, in 
other words, I am somewhat of a book or reading 
farmer,”—a class which numbers but few in this fair and 
beautiful region of Kentucky, where the u unimproved 
system” reigns predominant, and any innovation or de¬ 
parture from established custom is in “ horrible bad re¬ 
pute.” To contend for the advantages of a different 
mode of farming, for the introduction of labor saving ma¬ 
chines, manuring, sheltering stock, bestowing more labor 
on the soil, &c., is considered as quite sufficient evidence 
by our practical farmers, of the vain theoretical and 
visionary notions, which study and the perusal of agri¬ 
cultural journals inevitably produce. It may be well 
enough, they say, in the u East,” but it is folly to think 
it would do here; and should one, •'* rash enough to expe¬ 
riment,” buy a patent cobcrusljer, a seed drill, straw cut¬ 
ter, or subsoil plow, and upon trial the article itself turns 
out to be a bad one, unfit for the purpose for which it 
was designed—(as has, unfortunately, frequently happen¬ 
ed with me)—he is at once laughed at, or pitied as a 
dupe of Yankee ingenuity and cunning. 
Now I must confess, I have been somewhat humbugged 
in purchasing farming tools and machines, and in future 
I mean to be more careful, as well for the sake of my 
purse as the cause of improvement. In accordance with 
which purpose, I beg to make a few inquiries through 
the medium of your paper. I have heard mention made 
of the existence of a portable steam engine, on wheels 
for farming purposes, and it has occurred to me, having 
a great abundance of timber and wood, that I could use 
such a machine to great advantage, as a moving power 
for all the machinery on my farm. How does it answer? 
Is it simple in its construction, and easily managed, and 
what is about the cost of it. and where is it manufactured? 
Can you give me some information also about corn and 
cob crushers—whose is the best, the largest, strongest, 
most durable and efficient—the best calculated for crush¬ 
ing bur large ears of corn and in great quantity. T have 
one made by Beal, Lowell, Mass., which is entirely in¬ 
adequate—too small. Yours, Woodford. Versailles , 
Ky., 1852. 
Hoard & Bradford, Watertown, N. Y., manufacture 
steam engines for farm purposes, at low prices, viz: 4 
horse power for $75; 1 horse, $110; 2 horse $160; 3 
horse, with cut off, $250; 4 horse with cut off, $325. * 
Engines for farm purposes have not been tried much 
in this country; and their value as compared to horses, 
is yet to be proved. On large farms in England, where 
horse-keep is dear, and coal is cheap, they are used to 
great advantage. 
Cob-crushers are sold at Baltimore by Sinclair &, Co., 
and by Whitman & Co., as that place is in the region of 
large corn and large ears, it is quite probable that they 
would exactly suit Kentucky cobs. 
