Kilauea

on the Mauna Loa mountain in Hawaii, is the largest active voleano in the world, and has an oval-shaped crater, 9 miles in circumference, and 6,000 feet above sea level. On the island of Mani is the dormant crater of Mount Haleakala, from 25 to 30 miles in circumference, and 3,000 feet deep, standing 10,000 feet above sea level. On account of its insular formation the coast line is extensive, but there are few good harbors, Pearl harbor at Honolulu being the only important one. The rivers are few and unimportant, being mere mountain streams. Though the islands are entirel within the tropics the climate is mild, tempered by the N. BE. trade winds, a nine months of the year. The rainfall in the mountain region is quite ubundant, but on the coast slopes rain seldom falls. The soil is very fertile, being formed by the disintegration of the voleanic rocks and decay of vegetable matter. There is abundance of good pasturage, and cattle and sheep raising are important industries. The N. FE. mountain slopes are covered with dense forests, and sugar cane, Indian corn, coffee, and wheat are cultivated on the plains. Tropical and semi-tropical fruits are grown to a small extent, and thongh the natural water supply is quite small, the ground, under artificial irrigation, may be made extremely productive. Sugar is the staple industry and is largely cultivated throughout the islands. It was cultivated in very small quantities before 1876, when a treaty of commercial reciprocity with the United States came into effect. Under the provisions of this treaty an era of unexpected prosperity set in, and the production of sugar, as well as rice, increased more than was ever anticipated. Everybody's Cyclopedia (Vol. 2) — F **F**