The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-11-12

he would send some Of his men TO the
Hawaiian Islands to assist in the work,
He also announced that Prof. Grit
fth who is also under his department
would arrive here in about month and
make a hurried examination Of the Ha-
waiian forests. Captain Ahern not only
| believes that the establishment OF a Tor
estry department here would be a good
thing for the islands, but also that it
could be made to pay for itself in 2
short time. He said that the revenue
from the department in the Philippines
last year was $4,000 gold, and that as
the expenditures were but $4,000 the re-
mainder was profit, and was paid into
the Philippine treasury.
Il have not the slightest doubt" said
Captain Ahern yesterday after he had
completed his trip of investigation about
the city, that an examination Of the
forests of the Hawaiian Islands would
disclose many valuable varieties of
wood as yet undiscovered, and which
would. aside from its value, pay for
good forestry service.
THE real value of such a service is
to the water supply, and it will be
worth ten times what it costs. The
forests of the Islands should be kept
as a conservative of water. You can
send to San Francisco for your TIMBER,
but YOU cannot send there for your
water during the dry seasons. Expert
ments have shown that forests do
conserve the water supply. and though
this has never been actually demon
strated. it is we'll known that a forest
covered ground will retain five-siXths
of the water fall, while cleared land
will retain but one-sixth. Forests are
of tremendous Importance to any place
where water is needed, as il is in the
Hawaiian Islands. The people here do
not seem to realize the value of the
forests. but the establishment of a for
estry service here would soon correct
that impression.
II told Governor Dole the best thing
for him to do was to get some of tn
graduates here from the Yale or Cor
nell forestry schools, and then secure
the aid of the United States depart
ment. Just at present with over fifty
million acres of forest land to take
care of, the Bureau of Forestry is so
busy that the Hawaiian Islands are
likely to be given little attention, and |
letters to the department do very little |
good, as they are received so often |
and regularly from every State in the |
Union.
II was very much surprised when |
Jared Smith told me that. the Terrific |
ry had made no appropriation for the |
United States experiment station. He /
should have had at least $4,000 to /
carry on the work of the station sue
cessfully, and in every State and Ter
ritory in the Union the Legislatures
have voted money for just such a pur-
pose. This station means SO much to
the Territory and to the planters. The
people do not realize that the govern
ment has explorers in every country |;
in the world collecting seeds and
plants which may be of value to the
United States or any Of it's islands.
Il snIN1 AZ 1T h &c
experiments which may be of the ut
most value to the Territory, and it is
a shame that you do not step in and
help the work here. Once he gets the |
station started scientists will be sent
from Washington to assist; the ques-
ton of borer and diseases of sugar !
cane will be investigated, and in time
may be made that will
eradicate some of the pests of the Ha-
waiian Islands.
There is a great future for the Ha- |
waiian Islands, far greater than the ]
people here realize The completion of /
the Nicaraguan canal will make this I
the stopping place for a tremendous !
shipping trade, and Honolulu will be
the biggest place on the Pacific. This
s my third visit here, and the growth
IF the city is truly wonderful"
Captain Ahern is very enthusiastic y
,ver the future of the Philippines. He I
has prepared very stringent regula-
ions for the preservation of the forests 2
here. and said if the land companies !,
we're kept away for two years more :
lie would have the forests in shape SO =
hat the woods which were of the most Il
'alue could be utilized without injury a
o the forests. The Spaniards had good
egula tons, but failed to enforce them. t
some of the finest cabinet woods are
sed as posts in houses, and the finest
reeS are wasted. The FilipinoS We're Il
lot allowed to fell the larger trees at e
IL. Oftentimes a gigantic tree was cut q
own and only enough taken for a h
able top. The one great difficulty in
tilizing the forests is the lack of .
the caribou being of :
tile avail. Captain Ahern's men have n
cen studying transportation facilities te
l the California forests, and will puS NJ
MS knowledge to practical use when a.
ley reach Manila. Captain Ahern mas So
lready classified 665 tree species, and
xpects that the total number if the -
philippines will reach 1000. -
There is a great future for the vi
said Captain Ahern, and III
cannot understand what some of the NJ
eople mean who come back from NJ
lere and tell a different story. The re
ne trouble with them is that they eX- n.
ect the transformation to occur with ~
a few years. 1t will take a genera
on: the natives are not friendly to
lie Americans, though their children | Ell
re. The school teachers have had a tn
onderful influence on them, and ht
hen these children grow up there 81
ill be no further difficulty" W
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