Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-09-12
Effect of the Extensive Forest
Clearing on the Islands.
RAINFALL DECREASED
THE SUGAR INDUSTRY PLACED IN
DANGER.
Believed by Some That Limit Above
Which Clearing Means Ultimate
Disaster Has Been Reached.


An interview today with William M. Hall,
in charge of forest extension. Department
| of Agriculture, brought to light a remark
| able condition of affairs in Hawaii. Mr..
| Hall is authority for the statement that I'M
| less the cutting Of forests on these islands
! is stopped Immediately disaster will come
| upon the sugar industry. He follows this
| by pointing out that all attempts to es-
| tablish farms in Hawaii have signally fall
| ed as we'll as the efforts to raise coffee,
| leaving the deduction that as the sugar in
dustry is the principal asset OF the terri
| tory, disaster to 1t means disaster to Ha-
wall.
Clearing the Land
AT the present time said Mr. Hall, "a
good deal of land is being cleared for the
extension OF cane fields and for the estab-
lishment of homesteads in Hamakua. Hilo
and Puma. The wisdom Of the removal of
these forests Is a grave question. 1t is the
crucial question on the Island Of Hawaii
ana there Is emphatic difference of opinion
concerning 1t.
THE whole northeast coast Of Hawaii re-
cefves variable but heavy rainfall and
was originally forested to the shore OF the
ocean. Years ago this region was found
to be adapted to the growth of sugar cane
without irrigation. Plantations spranR I'D
rapidly, and soon formed a continuous
chaln from the north point of Kohala to
Hflo. AS the land near the sea is all occu-
pied, the only direction in which the plan
tatiohs can extend is up the mountains.
and this many Of them continually have
striven to do.
Safety Limit Reached.
Now, 1t Is recognized by sugar planters
land owners and by the government that a
limit exists above which clearing means ul-
innate disaster to the sugar industry. In
the opinion Of some this limit already has
been reached. During the early part of the
present year an expression of the opinion
OF lne plantation men was obtained as to
Wnat limit should be set for clearing Most
OF them favored limit below 2 GOO feet
Nevertheless, some of the managers are
very anxious to extend their plantations
Deyond this limit, and several requests are
now pending for permits for this purpose
Inc sugar companies, you know, do not
own very much of this land 1t is owned
principally by the territorial government
which leases 1t to the sugar comma MES and
gives them permits to clear 1t.
Opening Tracts for Settlement.
THE opening up of large tracts of for
est lands for homestead purposes has COM
plicated the problem seriously Several
years ago preliminary trial indicated that
coHee could be successfully grown in this
region and the insular government, i'm
portuned by those who desired to engage
In Its cultivation, threw open to settlement
several large tracts lying just above the
sugar plantations In Hamakua and Puma
Gearing and coffee planting went on rap
iuy TOT a Few years, but came to a sudden
matt when 1t was discovered that the COT
zee trees bore only crop or two and then
!alled. something had to be done with the
noinesteads. The most convenient thing
IN he -
IONS ana this, In most cases. was done
nus the possibility Of using the home-
stead stead law for extending the sugar planta
tlons was demonstrated The pressure for
opening tracts, ostensibly for homesteads
mas continued. Several tracts have been
opened within the past few years. and the
opening OF others is under consideration. In
great many, probably a majority of
cases, the homesteader has sold first the
lumber and then the cleared land to the
plantations, for the settler has found II
IN this way and afterward work for the
plantation than to till the land.
Attempts at Farming Fail.
Attempts to farm these homesteads have
signally failed. The rainfall is too great
for some crops, and those which could
be grown are usually devoured by insects
which seem to be always present In as
tonlshlng numbers. If, by chance a home
steader manages to grow crop, he finds
1t difhcult to get 1t to a shipping point over
the mountain roads The shipping rate
TO Honolulu, which is practically the only
market on the islands. are excessive And
IN tne honolulu market 1t is impossible
for the Hawaiian farmer to compete with
california In dairy products and cereals.
Except for specialized crops, which will
nave high value In proportion to their bulk,
farming In these districts Is absolutely with
out promise of successful returns
Mr.. Hall was asked, If sugar is so profita
bic a crop on the islands, what reasona bile
objection could be raised to cutting away
the forest and growing sugar cane upon
it,
''The danger replied Mr. Hall, us that
the plantations may go SO far In the mat
ter as to bring ultimate disaster unon
themselves by running the water supply and
decreasing the rainfall. Many of the plan
tatlonS now obtain water from mountain
streams for fiuming cane to the mills. There
is scarcely enough water for this purpose
now. and 1t has been noticed that with
the clearing of the lower slopes these small
er streams have been perceptibly dimin-
ished.
Decrease in Rainfall.
1.-THE other and far more dangerous re-
suit to be feared in cutting away of the
forest is the modification of the climatic
conditions so that there will not be enough
rainfall to insure the growth of sugar cane
Kohala and Hamakua have barely enough
rainfall to produce good crops during the
best seasons. Dry seasons cut down the
crop until often there is no profit In it. The
crop of 1902 is said to have been produced
at loss to the planters. Frequent
droughts such as that would soon put an
end to the entire sugar industry in these
districts, for there Is possible supply of
water except rainfall"
Speaking Of the islands as a whole. Mr.
Hall said it must not be supposed the re-
moval of the forests has been unnecessary
or without beneficial results. He said 1t
was necessary to clear land In Hawaii for
tillage and pasturage, just as 1t has been
In the United States Without the clearing
Of large areas of forest land the products
of the islands would not, as at present, ex-
coed $4,000. 600 a year, nor would the is
lands sustain cattle for the present popu-
lation In closing, however, Mr.. Hall
stated that the point has been reached in
forests cannot proceed except at the serious