The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-02-14
FORESTS OFF,
HAWAII NE|
Mr.. Griffith Speaks
at Y. M. C.. A.
Hall.
CONSERVATION OF
WOODS AND WATER
A Practical Talk on Hawaii's De.
nuded Mountains and How
to CIothe Them.


er of the Department of Agricul-
s ture at Washington. who has
been studying the forestry question in
the Hawaiian Islands, gave highly
interesting address last evening at the
Y N. c.. A. hall on the question of for
est preservation ana of water conserva-
tion in this group. A large audience
was present. among others being Gov
ernor Dole, Commissioner of Agricul-
ture wray Taylor. Representative
Dickey of Maui. Mr.. and Mrs. j. r.
Gait Mr.. and Mrs. ]. B. Atherton, AL
Ian Herbert, Mr.. and Mrs F. ]. Low
rey Hr and Mrs. j. p Cooke, III. NJ
Won Holt. Mr.. and Mrs. t. Give Da-
men interested in cane and cattle rails
ing. The Kamehameha Glee Club rem
dered several Hawaiian airs.
At the conclusion of the address Mr.
W. r. Castle was called on to give
statement of the American Forestry
Association. of which he was MEM
ber He said he had written letters to
a number of planters and cattlemen on
the other islands asking that they be-
come members of the association SO
that a branch could be organized here.
He met with a favorable response in
most cases. The headquarters of the
Association are in Washington, the
Secretary of Agriculture being ex-offi-
clio president. AS an organization 1t
was influential and did a vast amount
.1r. 90 ftn.a
United States on forestry matters.
Nearly all the gentlemen in the audi
ence gave their names in to Mr.. Castle
with the request that they be enrolled.
The names will be sent on to the Sec
retary of Agriculture.
Mr. Griffith was introduced by Com
missioner Taylor. He said that forest
ration meant cutting timber on con-
servative basis and allowing the young
timber an opportunity to grow. In the
Hawaiian Islands there were few mer-
chantable species of wood, except the
koa In one sense it could not be call
ed merchantable, as the entire question
was to increase the timber growth as
a means of conserving the water sup
ply Increasing the timber assisted in
the development of the cattle and graz
ing industries. He spoke of conditions
States where timber had been cut away
from the headwaters, the people be-
lieving the supply almost unlimited,
until mountains were denuded- The
people have now demanded that the
water supplies be protected, and the
government is holding 5O.OO0.O0O acres
as forest preserves in the central ana
Western States. In the Black Hills
where timber and water were once
plentifuI. the water supply has almost
been cut off owing to the denudation
of the timber lanos, and where the
Homestake mine once had plenty OF
water for it's use, fiume had now 10
~. constructed to carry it from a new
sourcs for several miles at cost or
8, 600 900 The same was true in New
Hampshire and Maine, where the paper /
mills were denuding the mountains
Cripple Creek, Col, has now a rapldiy
diminishing water supply and wood Is
being imported where once the noun
+ains surrounding the camp were COW
cred with a fine growth OF pine ne
sneaker read President Roosevelts
o-,,,,,,a,ts ON the value of forests, in
v-bi,b he said their preservation was
necess5ty. The President was once
r.,,(bar and had seen the needs Of the
Western settler.
..TI. does not believe that private water ,
have the right to control the I
water power" said Mfr. Griffith. " you
bava the water on your land you can
80 -,a, un for what you please when
ne is trying to buy the land from you.
Tbs light to the water should always go
with the land. 1 have been delighted
with the interest the planters ana eNeiS
bod, here take in the forests. but IN
ssvx roint. they are wrong. Much money
is beinr spent by the sugar planters ana
stocL eroyers in planting trees, and at
the same time they are running the cat
tie hack in their forests, which Is espe-
cj.,Iv dangerous to the headwaters- IL
Is easier to conserve what forests you
sI-e.sy have than TO plant new ones.
was inclined to think that much OF the
might have been caused ~ nS ro+ @
.scts hut In the virgin woods nave not
- ,av insects except where the tree
sie. from old age Some cattle men have
said 10 me that the cattle DO not eat