The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-11-20
PLANTERS ASSOCIATION
CONCLUDES ITS WORK
The Closing Session is Taken Up
With Reading of Reports and
Discussion Upon Them.

~ HE Hawaiian Planters Association
completed it's labors yesterday
L and most of those from the other
Islands who attended the sessions left
last evening for their homes on the ISL
and boats which delayed their sailing
. for several hours. The morning session
J was devoted TO the secret discussion of
the labor situation and other matters
which will not be made public. Part
of the afternoon session also was be-
hind closed doors. but before adjourning
the meeting was thrown open to the
public Several reports were read from
the committees appointed for that pur-
pose. These were upon machinery.
forestry, diseases Of cane. experiment
station. and these were freely discus
sed IL 2. Baldwin led in discus
sion on fertilizers. A vote of thanks
20 President Schaefer was passed. and
resolutions upon the death of the late
Hugh Morrison, a member of the Asso-
citation, were, passed as follows:
whereas, it has pleased Almighty
God to call from our midst Mr.. Hugh
Morrison, late manager of the Hawaii
an Sugar Company, on the Island of
Kauai, a valuable and esteemed MEM
Der OF this association, be il
Resolved. that the members of this
association deeply deplOre the death
Of Mr. Morrison, and keenly feel his
loss, and desire to extend to his widow
their heartfelt sympathy and condo
lence, and be ii further
Resolved, that an engrossed copy OF
this resolution be prepared and signed
by the proper officers OF the aSsocia-
ton and forwarded to Mrs. Morrison
The report on forestry was presented
by Mr.. Forbes. 1t reads:
Kukuihaele. Hamakua,
Hawaii, November l. 1901
Hawaiian Sugar Planters Association,
Honolulu, T. H.:
GentIemen:-In submitting for your
consideration the following remarks
forestry. II seems to me at this particu-
lar time more necessary than ever to di-
rect your attention to the ever Iessening
area OF natural forest on our Island
group
Since the latter end of April this year,
some of the Islands have suffered from
L may say an unprecedented drought;
while the districts of Hamakua and KO-
hala. in Hawaii, with which L am most
closely in touch, have probably been vic
tins to a greater extent than any other.
The result is that to date approximately
some thirty thousand acres of healthy
and partly denUded forest. well as
other crops, have been fire swept AL
though both brains and money were ex-
ercfsed in labor to suppress the fire, all
efforts proved futile; the best that could
be done was 20 confine its ravages with
in certain limits, and await the long ex-
pected rains which finally subdued the
flames. From time to time we have no
ticed through the press views Of both
close and casual observers on this forest
question, which. to say the least, are
conflicting. One says, man has done
more TO reduce the forest area. through
careless or willfuI fire raising, than any
other agency at work" Another claims
that cattle or stock are means of pro-
lection, by their treading down any I'M
dergrowth of ferns, vines, or grass which
might offer an attraction for fire during
those periodical drOughts TO which we
are subject" While a third writes: IF
forests were in their entirety protected
from the raVages OF cattle, fire could not
get sufficient hold to destroy any great
extent OF forest" With the views of the
latter coincide. Not, however, as the
bulk OF our Hamakuan forest stands to-
day; but IL il were, or brought to be, IN
that condition of sixty years ago,
dense growth OF vegetation from the low
er forest line to high up the mountain
slopes we can imagine the moisture
which would be precipitated and retain
ed, through it's ameliorating influence on
the atmosphere, sufficient protection
from any fire.
on the forest lands lying between the
valleys of Waipio and Waimanu OF Ha-
makua Hawaii. where up to the present
no cattle have been allowed to roam, the
forest. though of a scrubby nature and
apparently growing on soil OF n later
formation than that OF the Eastern Ha-
makuan slopes, demonstrates the fmpos-
>sibility Of fire ever being its ruin In
July OF this year fire started close by the
path leading from valley to valley, either
through the careless or malicious nature
OF some passerby. For several days this
fire burned briskIy, combining itself, how
ever. to the coast line, where there was
a sufhctency Of dry grass and timber -
offer II tnducement; 50 soon as IL reached
the timber line proper. conditions chang
ed the surface is moist and vegetation
SuccUicut. Offering no fOothold for fire
Those familiar with the district no doubt
viii say that this only could be expected
in such a place. Astounding with water
springs and streams. To such 7 can but
ny. and doubt il not, that in the past
similar conditions existed all along the
TT1u1aEua coast from Waipia 10 Okala