REPORT ON WHEAT, CORN, OATS, AND OTHER GRAINS.

BY J. S. GREEN.

MR. PRESIDENT and Gentlemen of the Royal Hawaiian Agricultural Society:

To those of you who have resided at the islands more than twenty years, I need not say that the article which we once used as breadstuff, was of an inferior quality. You recollect that there was often a scarcity of flour, and also that from some cause, what reached vs from the U. S. was barely tolerable, occasionally too poor for feeding swine. On opening a barrel stamped "Flour,” a chisel and mallet were always put in requisition to prepare the way for sifting, and these even were so ineffectual oftentimes that a pick-axe or crow-bar seemed necessary for the work. In those days the demand for Saleratus was imperious -the constant and free use of it indispensable. If one found on removing the head of his barrel that the flour was not musty, he felt quite satisfied, though he might marvel that bugs and worms could have had patience to perforate so hard a substance, and though he might find his flour well nigh sour enough to set on edge the teeth. In this case a double dose of saleratus, when we could obtain it, was the only remedy. I have little doubt that the ill health of many of the early residents at the islands had its origin in the character of the flour which was imported from abroad. Indian corn was raised at that time by the Hawaiians, but sold commonly and eaten green. I do not recollect of seeing corn meal in any considerable quantity during the first ten or twelve years of my residence at the islands. Neither oats, barley, nor any other grain, so far as I know, up to 1832 cheered the eye of the traveller as he made his way over the plains of Hawaii. Up to this time no experiments in this line had been made, and the general opinion seemed to be that neither the soil nor climate of the Sandwich Islands was adapted to the raising of cereal grains. It seemed likely that we should always have to depend on foreign lands for our bread. To this supposed necessity all of us became more reconciled as our foreign flour has improved in quality from year to year till it is now very good. Still there was no ground to hope that the people of the islands could ever use foreign flour, for hitherto some, if not many of the poorer foreigners have obtained only a partial supply.

Not far, I think from 1835, while I was living at Wailuku, a native of Kula, near the base of Haleakala, came to me one day with a Hingham box, and removing the cover he asked me to see and tell him what he had there. I looked into his box, and great was my pleasure on seeing some two quarts of fine looking wheat which he had raised. I told him its name and value; purchased it, and charged him to sow again, also to tell his neighbors that they too might cultivate it. This, I believe, is the brief history of the introduction of wheat into the Sandwich Islands. I regret that it cannot be known to whom the natives of Kula were indebted for the few grains of wheat which enabled them to bless the country with so useful a product.

It was several years after I purchased the few quarts of the Kula native before wheat became so abundant as to be sold by the barrel, er even by the bushel. I used occasionally to see it growing in small patches, and I observed that it was of large growth and of excellent quality. The grain was sometimes carried to Lahaina. This I learned when travelling on a particular occasion through Kula. I sought a little seed, wishing to try the experiment of raising it at Wailuku. All I could find was a small quantity, say about a peck, which enclosed in a strong cloth was used as a uluna or Hawaiian pillow. It was then introduced at Wailuku, Mr. Bailey raising two or more crops. It grew very well, the berry was fair, but for some reason, the flour was decidedly inferior to that raised in Kula. Of late years none has been sown at that place.

When in February 1843, I removed to Makawao, the pledge having been given me by the people of a support so far as anything they could produce from the soil was concerned, I told the Kula people that I should need ten bushels of their good wheat for my family use. This they furnished for two or three years. I soon found, however, that the raising, or rather the cleaning of wheat, was a costly service. The grain they rubbed out on rough lava stones, and the chaff they blew off with their mouth. As they could earn much more by cultivating the Irish potato, even when sold at one dollar per barrel, I concluded to try the experiment of wheat-growing at Makawao. I planted in drills about one acre, and though I lost some of it by the wind throwing it down, and by the rats, yet I gathered twenty-seven bushels of excellent quality. Finding that I could raise the grain easier

than they, the people of Kula began to relax their efforts in this department of labor. In the winter of 1846, some eight or ten of my neighbors living near the borders of Makawao united in planting a field which they called "Palaoa Mahina Hou," or monthly concert wheat, being planted and tended on portions of the first Monday of the month, the proceeds of which being devoted to benevolent objects. When this was ripe I called out the cultivators, and introduced the sickle. Most of the wheat I reaped, but I allowed all who wished, to try their hand at this novel business. The women then rubbed it out, and being cleaned, we obtained some 12 or 15 bushels, if I rightly remember, of superior wheat weighing 62 and even 64 pounds per bushel. These were the last wheat cultivators in Kula with a single exception, and this one I deem worthy of particular notice.'

An old gentleman by the name of Kupanihi, an uncle of Mrs. McLane, a man of indomitable industry, formerly a head man on the land now owned by the Rev. D. Baldwin of Lahaina, became famous for the cultivation of wheat. His place being in sight of my house, I used frequently to visit him, and feast my eyes with the sight of his beautiful patches of grain. The cultivation of wheat was admirably adapted to the declining strength of this old man. He had youthful hands about him to aid in breaking up his "fallow ground" which he planted in furrows. His wife aided him in keeping it clean from weeds, the remainder of the labor he could himself perform. And such wheat I have seldom seen. When ready for market it was well nigh as free from foreign mixture as Genesee wheat descending into the hopper of some Rochester flouring mill after having ascended five stories, and having been through as many sifting and cleaning operations as Yankee ingenuity ever devised. His patience and perseverance were above all praise. Well, after the old man had cleaned awhile, he would fill a couple of small calabashes, measuring a peck each, and staff in hand, would make his way for Mr. McLane's or my house to dispose of his load. I always purchased whether I had a supply or not, giving him three reals per peck. Thus Kupanihi toiled till about 1849, when the increasing difficulty of obtaining aid to prepare his grounds, and his increasing debility of body and mind caused the oo to drop from his feeble hand. I scarcely need add, that this Hawaiian hero of 80 years did not long survive his useful labors as an agri

culturist. He went down to the grave like one of his own shocks of wheat, fully ripe. Honor to the memory of good old Kupanihi the indefatigable agriculturist and wheat grower of Kukuiaeo. I may as well add here that this man raised sugar cane, and had manufactured at his own door the first molasses made on Maui.

Excuse this long story. I continued to raise wheat in small quantities, but I found much difficulty in threshing and cleaning it. Messrs. McLane and Gower, Mr. Miner also have raised excellent wheat, but neither of them, I presume, have realized much profit, having neither threshing machine, barn-floor, nor fanning mill. Hitherto, after the wheat has been cleaned, it has cost more than its value in dollars and cents to grind it. I think I may safely say that up to this date, no foreigner has raised a bushel of wheat at less cost than $4,00. I trust this will not be true in time to come.

Mr. Edes introduced the cradle in 1848, and assisted me in harvesting my wheat in the summer of that year. Ere the season of sowing returned he was off for California. During 1849 and 1850 I raised but little more than we needed for seed. In the autumn of the latter year, a farmer from New Hampshire came down from the coast and took up his residence at Makawao. He wished to purchase land but as there remained none unsold in our neighborhood, he concluded to occupy a portion of my land for raising sugar cane, Syrup and Sugar at that time commanding a great price. He put in some twenty acres of cane, and eight or ten of oats, of which we had a large crop in 1851. Finding that sugar and syrup were not likely to command so high a price as he had expected, the farmer commenced last November sowing wheat, and continued to sow and plant up to March. He thus put in some 25 acres of this grain, 5 or 6 of which are harvested, a specimen of which I presented you yesterday. I think there will be 400 bushels of the wheat, perhaps more. But for some circumstances over which I had no control, and in consequence of the destruction of some portion by the pelua, we shall not probably realize so much by 100 bushels as we otherwise should have done. Much of it is of large growth, and some portions are what a western farmer would call stout. Indeed so heavy is the grain in spots that it has fallen down, and we shall obtain only 20 of the 40 bushels which an acre would probably produce.

One of my neighbors, a Dane, has about two acres of the same grain from seed which we furnished him, and he will have a respectable crop. He has also a patch, say one eighth of an acre, of barley which promises fair, and from which we all hope to obtain this useful grain. Another neighbor has about one half an acre of wheat, which, though once eaten down by the pelua, is now nearly ripe, and is as even and beautiful as any half acre in the place. Mr. Miner also has two or three acres planted in drills principally, which looked well when I last saw it. I know of no other wheat in Makawao at present.

Of oats I cannot speak so favorably as I did last year, though the partial failure has no connection with the soil or climate. On commencing plowing the field where the last year we raised a heavy crop, the farmer found that the land was well seeded, and he concluded to try the experiment of raising a second crop without re-sowing. The result was we had a heavy body of oats, but comparatively small crop of the grain. Of these oats I gave you a specimen yesterday. This grain can be produced in our region of country in any quantity. In the raising of corn I have been less successful, the difficulty, however, is not in the soil. The season proper for planting is so ununcertain, and the ravages of the pelua so great, that I sometimes well-nigh despair of ever succeeding in cultivating this important grain. True, I have for many years obtained corn enough for our table, boiled or fitted up into that most delectable of all dishes, succotash; and I have sometimes cured a little for hasty-puddings, johnny cakes, and brown bread. In 1849 I succeeded in obtaining several bushels of corn with which I feasted, not to say fatted the largest crop of weevils I have ever seen at Makawao. Still I cannot boast of success in raising Indian corn, and I must refer you to other members of the committee. Mr. Rice of Punahou has more than once succeeded in raising fine corn at that place. He tells me, however, that of late corn has not done as well as formerly; and he is not sanguine as to entire success. He is still making experiments as to the season of planting, destruction of the pelua and other things connected with corn growing.

Mr. Emerson has probably more experience in the business of raising corn than any one of the committee. His report is as follows: