The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1903-11-03
TREES
FOR HAWAII
Experiment to Be
Tried Close to
kilauea.

Yesterday was distribution day at the
Government Nursery on King street
under the new regime which permits of
weekly allotments only after careful
viseing or requests. and G. Jonathan
Austin, superintendent of the nursery,
with his assistant, was kept busy sup
plying the wants of those who wish to
improve their property free of cost
| through Government beneficence.
When the nursery was under the con-
troll of Commissioner Wray Taylor, or
ders for plants We're given lavishly and
to great extent without proper dis
elimination and for some time an elab-
crate abuse of the Governments gene
rosity was practiced. Then 1t was dis
covered that parties were in the habit
of getting as many as eight dozen
plants at time, principally small
house palms of the more valuable
species. These they would convey
home, pot and nurse without expense
to themselves until they reached a size
to command a ready market at from
fifty cents to a dollar. This fragrant
abuse of the system almost resulted in
the closing up of the free distribution
especially when coupled with the fact
that almost the entire time of Mr.. Aus
tin was daily being taken up by peo-
pie with orders, many of whom re-
garded the piece of paper as an equiva-
lent to n day to be spent at the nur-
sery asking advice and all conceivable
information from the superintendent.
When the lapse of the Agricultural
Department brought it's affairs under
the jurisdiction of the Superintendent
of Public Works, Mr.. Cooper decided
to systemati2e the distribution of free
plants. An application has to be made
to the Board of Agriculture set
ting forth exactly what is required. In
the old days the orders frequently read:
plants as selected" The name and
other particulars of the filed in request
are entered in an indexed register
which is also consulted to see when the
applicant may have made former re-
quest and what was secured at that
time. In this way a constant check
keeps the distribution within reason
able bounds.
An order is limited to one dozen
house plants, one dozen trees suitable
for wind breaks and half dozen fruit
.rees. After being viseed the orders are
made for the requests, redeemable on |
Fridays. This regulates the work OF |
he superintendent and gives his time |
% other details of his work of more |
;alue to the community.
There is now flourishing in the nur-
'ery a colony of Seeding pines, raised |
rom seed cones sent from California, |
he natural habitat of the species |
selected for trial in Hawaii An at
empt Is to be made to plant these on
he higher levels of our mountains be-
rond the ordinary arboreal limit and |
t is thought that they will do well and
,rove valuable addition to Hawaii's
list of imported trees.
The experiment will be started on the
sland of Hawaii under the superin-
endence of o. T. Shipman of the Koa
iroye Ranch, one mile northwest of the
yolcano House. Mr.. Shipman, who
pays the freight on the ship
nent, will set out young pines on Koa
irOVe Ranch and also essay a planta-
ion on the ten thousand foot level
igher up the mountain. The shipment
will be made within few days.
The experiment will be tried also on
,ahu though Mr.. Austin is doubtful
,hether the balmy cline OF this island,
With its comparatively low attitudes,
ill prove agreeable to the pines used
S they are to more rugged surround
lgs