Evening bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1895-1912, 1902-02-14
EXPERT GRIFFITHON
FOREST PRESERVATION

have asked where cattle were, | have
been told. up mauka in the forests
There the cattle go to escape the heat
and horn-flies and to obtain moisture.
That is what is driving the forests
back and it means the forests will be
destroyed by cattle and sheep. On
the ranches where the cattle are being
handled in paddocks little damage is
being done.
Trees Near Plantations.
Putting trees alongside the planta.
tions is an excellent thing. especially
on Oahu along the Waianae and Koo-
lau ranges. 1t Is surprising to see what
the forests will do when fenced off.
Back of Eva, where the country has
been enclosed, young koa trees are
coming up. Mr.. Baldwin on Maui has
found by blowing that hundreds OF
young koa trees have come up, which
shows that the seed will hold its ger
minating power for a period of ten
years.
Forests and Water Supply.
Most of the government lands are
under long leases, so the government
cannot do much at present. There are
government grounds which the Terri
torial government, suppose. could set
aside as forest preserves. but as the
planters and grazers have the lands. II
rests with them very largely as to what
they will do. II the planters and
managers will get together and each
say I will fence off this land and that,
and so on, the forests will be pro-
teCted, and you will have a good water
supply. On Maui I was delighted to
find the forests in good condition. but
even there an enormous amount OF
damage is being done. The vital points
in Hawaii lie between Hilo and Hama
kua. My idea is that the planters
should get together and ask which are
the forests on the streams and which
those at the headwaters, and then set
these aside and preserve them. On
Molokai the forests are so far gone
that little can be done except by plant
ing: they are almost extinct.
tations. they must do something to
protect the forests. They must know
that the artesian water they are get
ting is water that is falling on the
mountains. and coming through the
strata, and II the forests are destroyed
they will surely feel its effects on their
water supply.
Washington Would Help.
Washington would he glad to do
anything ii can to help. am going to
Manila, and | propose to send you
some timber trees to Clothe the upper
slopes of your mountains. would
like to recommend you to try Philip.
pine pines. The trouble with your
present forests is that the seeds arc
so heavy they fall close to the trees
and are suppressed by the shade, This
causes the forests to spread but slow
ly. The pine has been used very sue
cessfully In Switzerland and France
and in the States. Within five years II
South Dakota, in a preserve, they OBJ
tanned 10000 young plants to the acre
The seeds of the pine scatter over tn,
land. and do not remain near the trees
from which they fall"
At the conclusion OF the address w
X. Castle gave a statement of the Am
erican Forestry Association of which
he was a member. lie stated that he
bad written to Cattlemen and planters
on the other islands asking them tC
| hand in their names so that a branCl
organization might he formed here
Favorable responses had been met with
In most cases. As result Of the out
line given by Mr.. Castle, nearly all tho
men in the audience gave their namei
TO him with the request that they bC
enrolled. These names will be sent Il
the Secretary of Agriculture.
Governor Dole inquired whether. II
| Mr.. Griiiith's examinations OF tn,
| timber trees. he thought that there
was a possibility OF introducing for
eign trees as commercial PROPOSE
, ton. as well as to conserve the watcl
supply. Mr.. Griffith said he haC
I thought of that in conjunction witt
the price of COrdwood, which peOpl,
paid here-sl2 to sli cord. He SUI
gested that II the Territorial govern
ment raised algaroba trees on govern
ment lands 1t would serve a doubl,
, purpose, one of which was to ncreas
q the revenues. lie stated further tina
the government should keep yer!
4 tight control over the opening up o
D the forests.
A vote Of thanks was rendered Mr.
Grihith for his interesting talk. Tn
= branch organization of the American
Forestry Association was formed anc
the meeting adjourned