Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1900-11-13
RANCHMAN low
DEFENDS CATTLE

Republican. takes issue with Professor
Koebele in some of the entomologist' :
observations onthe forests of Hawaii. |
Where the professor noted the destruc-
tion of young trees and uuderbrush by
cattle, the ranchman remarks that this
was only along the well.1oaten cattle
trails. The professor had, however, seen
for himself and duly reported the de-
structive blight that has been the chief
agent in forest destruction. Mr.. Low
wished that Professor Koebele could
have seen the whole forest. 81 noticed
some of the mamane forest along the
flow of 1853. about seven miles from
where the professor went, covered with
blight and hundreds of trees dead,
writes Mr.. Low. The following para
graphs are interesting and important.
II took the professor to the top of
The noted hill of Puuwaawaa. which Is
fenced OF and used as fattening PAD
dock. 1t has been in use Ior the last
seventeen years. ASK the professor If
he found the forest destroyed, or the
grasses and underbrush eaten uown.
Ask him. also. did he motto, hundreds
of young mamane trees spreading on
the mauka base of this hill. He will
no doubt say that he did not notice
them In my orchard on this hill are
q number Of young koa trees, besides
aawa. Ohia, mamane, kauila, naio, ma
make and several varieties of creep
ers. which | had to cut down to MAKE
room for my foreign fruit trees. Docs
this appear denuded of forest after be-
ing used scevtn teen years as a paddock?
Had | known that part of the pro-
tessorstrip was to report on the condi-
tions of the existing forests on this
ranch. | would have taken him through
paddOccks |. 2 and 3. about 500 acres
in each. and could have shown to his
establishment, as well as satisfaction,
| the dcnseness of the mamane fores'.
| After the shrubs such as pilo and ahca-
ahea have been eaten OFF by cattle the
mamane shoots up and proves very
valuable tree for shelter, for II allows
the feed to grow luXuriantly beneath
! ii. | discovered this during my first
/ years experience here. overstOcked
a small paddock with cattle for the pur-
pose Of clearing away the underbrush,
thereby allowing the rich feed to grow,
such as milkweed, Spanish clover, etc.
/ Immediately noticed that the mamane
came up in great numbers. and have
since followed this plan until now 1t is
almost impossible for over mile Ia
Baddocks and .. and on the hill callel
Henahcna. about $500 feet elevation,
there is nothing but mamane growing.
while only few years back there was
nothing but few shrubs such as ulei
and aalii.'
Again, Mr.. Low says:
Cattle. | admit, destroy the follow
ulei. aalii. pilo and kolca. I inform, 1
the professor that had about 1000
acres Of land fenced off from cattle, AMI
on this piece of property could have
shown him naoi forest actually rid
died with holes. The trees are being
annihilated, not by cattle, but by beet
les or bugs; koa trees are being at
tackled in the same manner, and in
three or four years will be extinct. OF
course the blame for this will fall on
the cattle. Is this right? 1t was on
this reserve section that | pointed to
Governor Dole the affected trees. Here
he tried to get a few koa seeds bu.
found the majority Of them worm-e eaten.
How can one expect a forest to grow
from worm-eaten seeds?"
The following remarks are as vaiu-
able as anything that has ever appeared
here either in scientists or planters
committees report, on the subject OF
forestry. In Mr.. Lows letter these
quotations are followed by statement
Of his own work in planting fruit and
other trees:
Il, Tor one, am strongly in favor Of
preserving the forests, having NJ
streams or live springs, and have to
rely ON the heavy dews and rains to
water stock, and the dense forest for
shade. Without these two necessities
my ranch could not exist. | have sew.
! enty-iive miles of fences, and the land
| Is evenly divided into paddocks, there
/ by avoiding any chance of oyerstock-
! Ing, thus protecting my shade trees
| from drying up. II the Legislature
would pass law compelling every land
owner to plant certain number If
trees for every acre that he or she
owns, and see that this law is enforced,
| think that one of the principal diff
culties would be obviated. and by that
means in few years the forests would
be all that is needed.
Il would suggest the mamane above
all as the most valuable; 1t affords
great shelter for stock, II makes goon
fence posts, and the feed grows luxur.
iantly beneath 1t. II grows In any
weather, on Pahoehoe and the dryest of
soil. On the slopes of Maunakea, above
Horner and Parker's ranch, a desolatc
and sandy country, there you will sec
the mamane and naio spreading. There