Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-12-25
FORESTS OF HAWAII
Conditions with Which the Reformer
Will Have to Deal.

The territorial government of the Ha-
waiian Islands will appoint as supern-
tendent of forestry this winter Il man
furnished to it by the bureau of forestry
who will take charge of important pro-
jects for the betterment of the islands
| forests. The man appointed will have the
responsibilities first of determining the To-
cation and the boundaries of Il system of
forest reserves, and later of superintend-
ing a great deal of forest planting, both
on public and private lands.
| The forest conditions of The islands are
unlike any that prevail in this country
Mr. William l.. Hall of the bureau of for
estry. who mas just returned from a two
| months examination of the islands, re-
which forestry must solve. The islands;
contain scarcely any forests capable of
yielding timber of value for lumber.
purposes comes from the Pacific coast.
| But there are several hundred thousand
acres of forest land of the greatest value
| for protective purposes. Indeed, great
! is the importance of these forests that on
/ their preservation depends the existence
| of the sugar industry. and that is equiva-
lent to saving the continued prosperity of
| the islands. The sugar exports of the
| last fiscal year amounted to $25 600. 900 and
sugar is practically the only export. The
raising OF sugar requires an enormous
| amount of water, nearly all of which
must be supplied by irrigation, the water
being carried in fumes and bitches from
the wet, mountainous parts of the Islands
II
is grown. The rainfall of the islands is
nearly all confined to the northeast and
east mountain slopes. where it is tremend-
ously heavy; some years more than 200
inches. On the other side of the divide.
and in the plains beyond, where the sugar
cane grows, there may be no more than
fifteen inches of rain n year.
The forests are largely confined to the
rainy side of the mountains. and are
necessary as a protective cover, TO keep
the ground from washing from the slopes
and the rain from rushing back too rapid
ly into the sea. The presence of the
forest cover, since it makes the flow regu-
lar, preventing both foods and periods of
low stream flow, is Indispensable to the
success of irrigating projects.
The value of this forest. strangely
enough, consists not So much in the trees
it contains-for they are frequently low.
crooked and sDarsely scattered-as in the
impenetrable mass of underground be
meath them. This underground. composed
of vines, ferns and MOSES, is of so dense
a character that it shades the ground alb
solutely and holds water like sponge 1t
is, however exceedingly delicate and cas-
lily DESTROYED. Let cattle into such a for
est and they will speedily eat or trample
down the underground till the bare
ground is exposed The soil then rapidly
soon die. Grasses. insects and wind
usually hasten the struction. Cattle and
goats have ravaged the Hawaiian forests
without hindrance for many years, and
nave WpIheu luitHtl edSH yedi iilo tic
heart of the dense tropical growth.
The Hawaiian public lands consist of
1,172,640 acres All of these lands which
are in forest. and many forest areas pri-
vately owned which the government can
gain possession of by exchange, will be
put into forest reserves, cleared of cattle
and goats, fenced and preserved. Some
compensation must also be made for the
great areas of forest already destroyed.
1t will be part of the work of the for
ester to plant large areas of this denuded
land upon which forests are of most vital
importance to the agricultural interests.
Mr.. Hail. who carefully examined the eli
matte conditions, believes that species of
the Pacific coast such as redwood and red