The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1897-09-27
TO PRESERVE THE FORESTS OF
HAWAII.
SO Says DR.. II. b. Guppy. the English
Naturalist-He Tells of His Observa-
tions in the Islands.


person of DR.. Guppy of England, is
spending few days in the city pre-
raratory to leaving for Fiji. on the
steamer Aorangi this week.
1t was he who passed twenty-three
days on the summit of Mauna Loa, the
lofty mountain peak on Hawaii. and
which is three days longer residence
than Commodore Wilkes experienced
in the winter of 1910 and Al. DR..
Guppy's account of his experiences on
this high mountain have been read
with considerable interest, by the
Honolulu people. He stated that his
only fear was that he might fall down
the steep sides of the crater.
DR.. Guppy has, spent eleven mouths
in pursuing his Investigations on the
| Islands. The greater portion of this
time he has spent on Hawaii. He has
also made short Investigations on
Maui and Oahu. He regrets that he
has not time to go to Kauai but he
states that he will return shortly to
complete his observations. He is
highly delighted with the Islands and
thinks that the climate of Puma is the
finest in the world.
The great naturalist will be in Fill
for about year, when he will go to-
the Caroline Islands to study the
plants for many months. Then he
will visit the Tahiti group and grad
ually work his way over to Borneo.
Java and the other islands of that
group. He will be occupied in this
work for the next ten years when he
hopes to return to England, but not
before he has paid another visit to
Hawaii. DR.. Guppy has already spent
some time in the Pacific, having pass
ed three years in the Solomon and
Samoan groups. He will prepare his
observations upon his return home.
DR.. Guppy has. given his lfe's work
to this occupation; simply for the rea-
son that he loves it. He represents no
government or syndicate, but is out
for his own pleasure and interest. He
has been actively identified with bot
any since he was child.
During his tour of Hawaii, almost
every portion of which he visited, Dr.
Guppy became very closely acquainted
with its resources, its soil and climat-
ic conditions. He has gathered infor-
NATION which is not given in the
work of DR.. Hildebrand, who spent
Sohc tWcHuS years Ill tnt ISlanuS en-
gagged in botanical work.
In speaking of the dispersal of the
plants about Hawaii, DR.. Guppy stat
ed that he had discovered a great
many varieties. 81 find that the coast
plants in your Islands are to be found
in the other islands of the Pacific and
even in other parts of the world" he
said. "It was among the mountain
plants that ] vas so greatly interest
There are plants growing in the
mountains of Hawaii that are very
peculiar. When say peculiar | mean
That they are extremely rare and I
doubt if some can be duplicated. These
plants are exceedingly healthy and
have vigorous growth, showing the
climatic conditions and ,e soil to be
of the very best.
DR.. Guppy was asked concerning the
forests onHawaii.
He, spoke very earnestly in favor of
the preservation of the forests. 81 am
greatly surprised that your people are
not preserving the forests" he con
tinued. 81 have found the forests be-
ing cut down and cleared in order
that the planters may extend their
coffee and sugar estates. They seem
to have no regard for the future; it
being proposition with them appar-
emily to realize all they can out OF the
land today. Then again wild cattle
have done considerable damage.
This will rapidly bring the Islands
to grief. Even were the people TO-
start in from today to preserve and to
build up the forests il would be a cen
tury of years at the least before the
rainfall would be equal to the fall of
twenty-five years ago.
81 wondered why the government had
not taken some action in such an im-'I
portant matter as this, but L can now
readily see that it would be very diff
ficult matter for any island goveru1
ment to carry out such measure sue
cessfully. 1t would require a strong
government to carry out such re- |
form and | sincerely hope that the !
little Republic will be annexed to the
United States, If for no other reason
in the world than to, protect the for.
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