The Hawaiian gazette., 1875-07-14
ConccrnIn= Thomas square.

PuxAHou, July 18th, 1875.
EDIroR OF THE HAWAIIAN GAZETTE;
Dear Sir,-Allow me to trespass on your
time and patience a little, in order to correct a
wrong impression which has got abroad in the
community, to wit, that there are no trees
planted in 90 Thomas Square, that it is simply
a wilderness of weeds, Sc. I refer to the ar
ticle in the local columns Of the Advsriiser, in
the last issue of that paper.
have heard it insinuated frequently, al
though it came secondhand of course, that
they did believe there any 10 the Square, and
have paid no attention whatever TO the reports but
this communication coming In the manner Il does,
merits my attention, as am the one most nearly
concerned In the matter, as planted the trees my
self. and 1 know them TO be there.
will venture to say that there has seldom been
planted piece Of ground With Ageroba trees, from
the seed, with the same success that has attended
the planting of Thomas Square. 1t is true that there
are some vacancies in the trees to be filed up the
ensuing winter, (the proper time for planting trees,
by a well-known gentleman of Honolulu, who Is
growing the trees now In his garden, but the vacan
eies are few. But il there was not another tree
planted in the Square than there Is there now In the
course of q few years. 1t would be one OF the most
beautiful, park-ike places in the vicinity Of Homo
lulu.
], Montgomery, Esq, is deserving OF great deal
of credit for the interest be has manifested in the
place. furnishing Seeds &c, OF the choicest kinds,
for the purpose Of planting in the place His desire,
in common with my own, is to see the naked plains
clothed with living verdure.
In regard to there being great crop OF weeds "
on the place, would say that they We're left there
purposely, experience having demonstrated that
they serve the double purpose OF shielding the young
trees from the scOrching rays OF the sun, and the
drying winds, till such time as they are strong
enough to take care Of themselves, which !hey are
nearly in position to do now, being on an average
from two to four feet u height at the present time.
The foliage of the Algeroba tree Is thin, so that
tree has to be several feet in height before it eau be
seen at a distance.
/ would suggest 10 the Government, that they
bring the into the Square, (now that the prel
mlnary steps have been taken In planting trees &C.
and plant Samang and other choice trees and shrub
berry, In the vacant paees-trees that will not grow
without the aid Of water, which the AlgerOba tree
will do, after IL has once sent down It's tap root,
which makes 1t a most valuable tree for the dry
commons In these Islands.
Pardon me for trespassing so much on your val
liable space Yours truly, ALBERT SUMTER.
At the request of the writer of the above
letter, we have been to "Thomas Square,"
walked across it, and find his statement to be
correct. We judge that there are several hun
dred small trees, from II to 2l inches high,
planted in rows perhaps 20 feet apart. Al
though not quite so thick as the the trees in
Mr.. Wards or Col. Jones' premises, they are
thick enough to make fine shady grove in
few years. The weeds evidently protect and
shelter the young trees hidden among them
Ed.