The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1886-01-20
T FL +
WEDNESDAY January 2
FOREST CULTURE.

The experiment in forestry on the
bald spur of Makiki hill, made by Mr..
Jaeger for the Government, promises
to be eminently successful. The ex-
pertinent has been conducted according
to the well established rules of forestry
adopted by the Prussian Government,
and followed throughout Germany, max
ing such changes in method as exper-
fence of our climate suggests: The
piece of land operated upon consists of
I65 acres, and lies on the southeastern
slope of Makiki hill. Indigenous and
foreign trees have been experimental
with, but singular as it may seem, I'M
qualified success alone can be reported
with foreign varieties.
In the forest reserve above mentioned,
175 900 young trees have been planted,
all or nearly all raised from seed. The
bulk of these have thriven, more
especially the fast growing and valuable
forest trees from the Australian Cont
nent. Many of these yield exceedingly
valuable timber for furniture and car
riages, and for building and manufact-
ures of various kinds. OF the acacia
family, the bark OF the black waffle, for
example, yields so per cent. of tannin
when dry, its timber being also valuable.
Owing to the waste and destruction OF
black waffle forests i'll Australia, the
question of prohibiting the export OF
waffle bark has been mooted in Victoria
and New South Wales, if indeed this has
not been actually done. Encouragement,
by payment of bounties, is given to re-
plant black waffle, and restore in course
of time the enormous waste caused
by the reckless cupidity of the ire
sponsible men who gathered bark for
export. In New Zealand, where the ma
tive forests have been destroyed without
even the pretense of bark gathering, the
Government has gone to heavy expense
in procuring report on forestry by an
imperial officer, who had long been en-
ployed in the forestry department of the
Indian Government, and his report has
been acted upon to a large extent.
Among trees, the planting of which re-
ceives special encouragement in New
Zealand, is the black waffle. 1t grows
well here, and should be more generally
planted by land owners.
All the varieties of the eucalyptus
family are fast growing and exceedingly
valuable for timber. Blue gum, from its
very rapid growth and medicinal quail
ties, is a special favorite in California,
and for couple OF years past chair
factory near Santa Cruz got its lumber
exclusively from plantation of blue
gums close at hand But the red gum
(e. rostrata), although of slower growth,
attains to greater size, and yields
more valuable timber. The Vic
torian Government has adopted it
exclusively for railroad ties and bridges,
owing to it's strength and extreme dura-
bility above or under ground and in
water. The experiment at Makiki proves
that red gum is well adapted to our soil
and climate. Blue gum does remarka-
bly, well, as does also the peppermint and
other varieties. A small grove of gums
established on plantations and at coun-
try homes would soon furnish abundant
fuel from the thinning out and prunings,
leaving the best trees to mature for tim
Der.
Ironbark is another Australian tree
which does well in this country, and
whose value in variety OF ways cannot
be oyer-estimated. Its timber bears
double the strain of American ash and
oak, and is Is per cent stronger than
hickory. Its wood is smooth, close of
grain, and without knots. The bark,
when fresh, yields % per cent tannin;
when dry the percentage of tannin is
much less. It's extensive cultivation
would add to the permanent wealth of
the country and to the comfort of its in
habitants.
1t is needless for us to add that forest
culture is desirable on these Islands for
another reason. The growth of forest
trees modifes the climate just as cultiva-