The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1893-04-05
MATTERS.
INTERESTING REPORT
BY 4 CONHTSSIONER
Eaer9etic Action is Urgently
Needed TO Eradicate the
Prevalent Blight.

ca pidIdtOI(
His Excellency J. A. KING, ex-officio
President of the Bureau of Agri-
culture and Forestry;
SIR: Pursuant 10 instructions re-
ceived from the Bureau of Agricul-
ture and Forestry, at a meeting held
8 on the Goth of March, 1893, directing
your Commissioner to investigate the
spresent condition of the forests and
nurseries planted by and now being
cared for by the Government. Your
Commissioner has examined the
same and begs to submit the follow
ing report:
The nursery on King street COM
prislng about three acres of land was
first visited by your Commissioners,
and after careful examination / am
of the opinion that the nursery as re-
CARDS the quantity and quality of the
land Is entirely inadequate to carry
out the purposes of the act under
which the Bureau was formed. Owing
to the ravages of the blight now so
prevalent in Honolulu many of the
valuable trees are in poor condition
and some have died, and no effort has
been made up to the present time to
rid the nursery of this destructive
blight. Even the small plants grow
ing In boxes are affected, and unless
immediate action is taken much loss
will ensue. A small amount of en-
ergy properly applied would have
prevented much of the damage al
ready done. The distribution of
plants from the nursery to the diff
ferent islands during the past five
years has averaged a little over 5000
plants per annum, the island of Oahu
i'm a hn
tire amount. The record kept by the
gardener shows that the distribution
of plants has not been fairly appor-
toned, some parties getting as many
as from 200 to 800 plants at one time,
and others as low as ten. This needs
regulation and the attention of the
Bureau is called to this matter.
While there is no doubt but that the
distribution of $4,000 plants during
the past five years has been of great
benefit and use to the country, it is
quite apparent that this usefulness
can be greatly extended The coun-
try is in great need of many small
aud diversified industries, and these
can be greatly stimulated by the Gov
eminent bringing within the reach of
of the poorer classes variety of econ
omic plants that can be cultiva ted
with success OH these Islands. To ac-
complish this purpose, new and more
extensive facilities are required. The
present nursery is entirely too small,
the soil poor and the location unfavor-
able. In winter the garden is flooded,
aud some valuable trees have been |
lost from this cause. In summer the |
water supply is not sufficient to keep |
the nursery in good condition. The |
trees now in the nursery are generally
unthrifty, and do not present the Wig
Orous growth characteristic of trees
grown in a rich soil. A new site for a
Government nursery is urgently need
ed, and your commissioner would ask
to be allowed to make a careful survey
of the Government land on the lower
slope of Punchbowl, running towards
the Lunalilo Home, and report on the
same as to its suitability for Govern
ment nursery.
THE MAKIKI FOREST.
The planting of this forest was COM
menced eleven years since, and con-
siderable area has been planted with
different varieties of forest trees, prin-
cipally eucalyptus, which is doing
we'll. The Australian waffle is tree
which is apparently doing better than
any other of the forest trees. The
keawe tree is not doing well, being
more at home on the lower plains. All
the trees are planted very closely to-
gether, and the time is near at hand
when the whole forest will need thin
ming. There is a good deal of under
growth in the forest, and on the edges
the lantana is growing vigorously.
While do not think ii advisable that
the whole forest should be cleared of
underground until such time as the
work of thinning should be under
taken, it is important that the lantana
be cleared from the roadway and out
skirts of the forest.
While it was no doubt wise mea-
sure to clothe the bare slopes of the
land with forest trees, and equally
good policy to continue doing so, it is
not good policy to plant the rich val
leys with timber trees. They can be
put to much better use; they should
be planted with the best varieties of
citrus and other fruits, and with
the various economic plants which
add so much wealth to those countries
that have a climate and soil similar
to these islands. To this end / would
strongly urge upon the Bureau to
sanction the importation of several
hundred suitable trees to be planted
in the rich valleys situated below
Tantalus, and from time to time, by
further importations, increase the
number of trees OF the character men,
toned in a very few years these would
prove an excellent source from when
to procure cuttings from which to en-
graft seedlings which could be started
as soon as the necessary seeds can be
ri
there are but few stocks more mar
dy than our own native orange but
the fruit itself can be greatly improv-
ed. In few years time these valleys
could be made to produce hundreds
of thousands of valuable young trees
for distribution to the different ISL
ands of the group and particularly to
the homesteaders and small land
holders. 1t is a significant fact that
California oranges and lines (proba-
bly, MeXican) are being imported into
this country. This should not be. /
would call your attention to the fact
that the luna in charge of the plant
ing at Makiki forest, is living several
miles from the scene of operations, in
the only house under the control of
the Com mission, the same being stu
ated close to the Makiki reservoir.
Arrangements should be at once made
for the erection of a suitable dwelling
close to the present laborers' quarters
ut the head of the forest. 1t is neces-
sary, in order TO get the best results
fiom the force employed, that the
Luna live close to the work. In this
respect would call the attention of
the Bureau to the fact that the pres
ent Luna is not trained forester, and
that in order to obtain effective re-