The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1898-02-08

by. In the same report, upon the
same subject Mr.. X. S. Gjerdrum is
of the opinion that deforestation In
East Maui has largely decreased preci-
pitation of rain.
1t has been affirmed that the telling
of the forests on the Island Of Trini-
dad has almost ruined the Island-not
enough rain now falling there for any
practical purpose.
1t may, / think, be maintained that
so far as observed, rainfall cannot
be said to increase or to diminish by
retaining or cutting the forests. How
ever, there are certain theoretical con-
siderations which might lead to the
conclusion that trees over extensive
areas, or even grass and shrub would
cause ipitation-certainly in the
form of dew and frost, and probably
in the form of rain. 1t is a well
known fact that, at certain seasons
of the year, and under certain hygro-
metic states of the atmosphere, the
rapid cooling down of leaves and grass
causes heavy precipitation of dew
on the upper surfaces of vegetation,
which little or none falls on surround
ing surfaces.
Dumont gives an interesting ex-
tract from the misopogon Of Emperor
Julian, in which he notes that in his
time, the river Seine was wholly ex-
empt from foundations, and flowed
with uniform current throughout
the year, while at the present time,
4 l, ;c 80 - ,.&x ~
tween extreme high and low water
mark
The topography of our Islands is
such that all considerations of prud-
ence should be weighed when dealing
with forests and other matters, affect
ing the conservation of rainfall Each
Island is a mere mountain peak, as 1t
were, running up from shore to peak,
in many places, with a slant of near
ly 45 deg. If the land has a bare face,
the water from heavy rainfalls rushes
to the sea, taking with it the very
best part of the soil. The transports
ing power of water being as the sixth
power of its velocity, it will readily
be conceived what skinning effect
heavy rains would have on the soil.
If running with a velocity of two miles
an hour, water will move an object
of given weight, doubling it's velo-
city will give it power to move an
object sixty-four times as large. Large
areas of land on the Spanish side Of
the Pyranees have been ruined by re-
moving the forests, while, by preserv-
ing the forests on the French side,
its fertility is a great as ever.
1t would appear that cutting down
the forests for agricultural purposes
will be far less injurious than the
damage done by the browsing and
tramping of cattle and goats in the
higher reaches of our thickly wooded
mountains. Where the woods are cut
| of for any kind of crops, the soil is
usually plowed or loosened up and
made spongy and absorbent by culti-
vation. Besides, either cane or coffee
trees are planted, and the roots pene-
trate to some depth, leading the rain
water down so far as the fibrous roots
go. If the hill-sides are somewhat
precipitous, they are so terraced that
the water is caught and absorbed i'm
its course, and thus prevented from
washing Off the soil. The shade of
either cane or coffee trees prevents
rapid evaporation.
Cattle and goats, however, not only
kill the trees by browsing and tramp
ing the soil around the roots, but they
kill off all the shrub and grasses,
tramp the ground hard, and make it
impervious to rain-water. Many of
the oldest and most observant resi-
dents of the Islands affirm that, in
many places, streams that were peren-
nial in their youth, are now flush in
heavy rains only, or dried up alto
gether. One does not have to travel
far in any one Of the group to see
what devastation cattle and goats have
made in the forests. Near Hanalei,
great forests of lauhala stand bare and
dead. On the mountain sides near
| Waimea in Hawaii, it is sad to see
| the dead and PROSTATE trees. I no.
ticed like condition in the Waialae
valley on this Island. 1t is reported
that the Island of Kahoolawe is being
made desert by deforestation, caused
by cattle.
We are dependent at present, and,
~