The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1902-04-08

I y
and the plantations I'm order to protect
the headwaters of the streams must
fence along the upper forest slopes ana
drive out or XIII the stock which rec |
mains below the fence.
"The government should assist the
plantations I'm every possible way TO
protect the forests and incorporate I'm
all future leases a provision that all
important forest areas shall either be
fenced by the lessee or all cattle abso-
lutely excluded.
Maui The forests on the island of
Maui upon the whole, are I'm fairly
satisfactory condition although in GER
tain sections they are disappearing very
rapidly. Nearly all the sugar plAntAtons
and the bulk of the arabic land lies be
tween Waikiki and Honomanu and
here the forests have been seriously in
iured by stock grazing.
THE sugar planters and farmers in
this locality all depend upon irrigation,
the water being taken from small
streams which for the most part rise
on the slopes Of Haleakala. For many
years, cattle were allowed an unrestrict-
ed range i'm the forests along the head
waters Of these streams so that in many
sections the forest is either dead of dy-
ing.
1.-THE almost total destruction of the
underground has allowed the soil to
bake and harden thus causing the rain
fall to run off rapidly with the resultant
effect of very low water during the dry
season. The Haiku and SpreckeIsville
bitches have prevented stock from rang
ing i'm the upper forests and so have
formed protection belt from Haiku to
Honomanu. Along the line of the Hal
ku ditch the almost total destruction
of the forests by stock is clearly shown;
for whereas the forests on the upper
side of the ditch, which have been pro-
teCted, are very dense and healthy
those on the lower side, which have
been open to grazing, are either almost
destroyed or in very unhealthy con-
dition.
The district of Kula is also a strik-
ing example and, in order to save the
little remaining forest, the cattle must
be absolutely excluded. 1t is far easier
and a much better policy to save the
existing forests than to certainly des-
troy them by grazing and attempt TO
realize by planting a forest in some
other locality
planting is extremely expensive, es-
pecially if the trees are set out very
close together as must be done If a
dense forest is to be secured which will
act as a sponge and hold the water sup
ply Then too a small amount of plant
ing here and there does very little good
and such expensive work will seldom
be necessary in the islands if a common
sense forest policy is pursued.
The government owns some very
irnnortanf forests areas ON Mani along
+ba beodyyotars Of +be s+ree,,, o,,d the
Inna,, sIones If the mountains which
sb6nId he sagragated and set aside as
forast resay,es II win nrobabIy he adj
visable to build fences and necessary
to make a detailed examination in order
f,,, oeyrin,,It,,ra ana and those which
should aI,vgvs he kent mnder timber
.Tbe forasts II, the lao ,-oIIa, are very,
vol nrotec+ed ana conseouantI,, chow
no siG,,s Of do+a,,i,,o+io ,-biIo Tho
streams are maintained win fairly
even flow. The forests in the remainder
of the district of Lahaina show very
plainly the effect of grazing and must
be much more carefully looked after in
order to conserve the all important
water supply
THE whole question on the island of
Maui is protecting the existing forests;
IL Is OF the most vital Importance TO the
plantations that these should be done
at once ana mus save the very large
expense or artlhclaI planting.
Molokal. CaItle. goats ana deer
nave totally destroyed the forests upon
the larger portion OF the island OF Molo-
kal so thaJ the western haII is pracu-
cally destitute of any tree growth. IL
is possible that the algeroba forests
which have secured such a strong OLD
along the coast near haunakakal may
gradually spread over TINS end OF the
island. At present the SOIL is covered
with a thin growth of grass which is
/ apt to die down during the dry season
thus allowing the top SOIL TO cake ana
/ powder.
'Molokai is exposed to the fun force
Of very heavy winds which are rapidly
| blowing most of this fine soil top SOIL
/ off into the ocean. The algeroba will
/ hold this soil, furnish splendid nreWood
ana me pean Pous MAKE axe very soou
Ieeu Ior caIue curing the ury SEASON
Planting in belts or strips is recon-
mended on the western half of the ISL
and in order to form wind breaks and
/ thus hold the shifting soils. The east
ern half of the island including the en-
! tire Olokui section is by far the most
| important for here all the streams rise.
Cattle and deer. particularly the lat
J ts. bo,-a 1agtrova1 "a lorga araa of tho