The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1897-12-17

tSiEhteQ ana Tul0OuS 10 TIC dpSShOC u
system of forest control which allows
ranches to run their cattle down to the
edge of the open lands. The consequ-
lences Of the moving back of the forest
lime fall first, upon the lower lands, in
reduced shade and rainfall. But these
consequences come almost as quickly
lupon the ranches themselves; because
when the forest shade is gone the pas
ture and water soon go, and the cattle
are moving up in search of water and
food. and move up the destruction with
them.
On the lower lands, where popula-
ton appears to have been greater in
the past than it is now, there are pal
pable indications of a former greater
rainfall. There are gulched valleys
where the remnants of terraced lands
show that vegetation had been care
fully and abundantly grown, but which
for some time, have been forsaken and
dry. and the flowing streams which fed
these lands are dried up and gone.
unfortunately, the data which can
throw any precise light upon change
OF rainfall are meagre, and extend back
over only a few years. however, OBJ
tanned a register of the rainfall in Niu-
Iii. which covers the years from 1884
up to the present. If we divide these
years into two periods the results are
found to be as follows:
Average annual rainfall from 1884
TO 1890 inclusive, 62.21 inches.
Average annual rainfall from 1891
to 1896 inclusive, 4O.3O inches.
THE Immediately beneficial results
of shutting the cattle out by enclosure
of an area running from the plantation
head lines several miles back are be-
yond all question and praise. 1 have
seen these results on Hawaii, above
Kukuihaele; and en- Maui lands con-
trolled by the Haiku Sugar Co.; and
am informed of similar results on Ka-
uai on lands lying above Lihue.
you remarked, Mr.. President, upon
the tracts of land in Kohala known I'M
der the name Awini. The situation of
those lands was observed by me, but 1
was unable to visit them. 1 endeavor-
ed, however. to get some idea of the diff
ference in rainfall upon the Awini for
est lands, and cleared lands lying at a
lower level towards the sea. The data
cover only Is months, and extend from
July l, 1896 to July 81, 1897.
'Awini forest lands, 634O inches.
Lower cleared lands, 1919 inches.
''The significance of these data lies
in the simple but notable difference
shown, than in the indication that we're
there no forest upon Awini not only
would the Awini rainfall be reduced,
but the rainfall below would scarcely
be reduced still more The conditions
of this particular location appear to
suggest the inadvisability at the pre-
sent time, of further lessening the for
est area in the Kohala district by clear
ing lands; and the general state of the
district indicates that steps should at
once be taken, either by mutual agree
ment or by authority, to restore the
conditions which appear to have fur
nished the greater rainfall of an earlier
period
THE Awini case may be allowed to
raise the whole question of the econo-
mic balance of relation between forest
and cleared lands. 1t is quite clear, on
the one hand, that a country cannot be-
come of value which is given up to per-
manent forest. On the other hand, we
are admonished by the actual expert
ences Of other countries, and notably
by the practice of the United States,
that the ruthless destruction of forest,
or the disturbance of the relation of
forest area to cleared surface, leads to
irremediable consequences. Herein lies
the whole problem-the adjustment of
forest surface to areas of cultivated
land. But this is work requiring
very specific knowledge and the di-
rections of some one expert in the mat
ters of forestry and climatology.
q shall venture to urge the primary
importance of expert direction in the
matter of forest removal Trustworthy
advice would suggest areas that could
be cleared without any cause of dam
age to contiguous lands, and would
show why the reducing of forest area
in given localities might be followed
by irreparable results. These things,
however, are not easily impressed up
on communities; and the history of the
attitude of the United States Congress
towards the forestry question shows
that legislation may come too late,
which is cruelty emphasized by a re-
port of the present Secretary of Agri-
culture, recently sent to me, wherin
Congress is told that our virgin con-
ferrous supplies must share the fate of