The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1904-07-26
ABOUT OUR
FORESTS
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE PREPARES AN INTERESTING
PAPER ON THE FORESTS OF THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS-6
DESCRIPTION OF PRESENT CONDITIONS AND NEEDS BY AN
EXPERT-T1E NECESSITY FOR PROTECTION

7APERI-THE NECESSITY FOR PROTECTION
WASHINGTON July rAn interesting prepared by
the Department of Agriculture Hawaiian Islands and
r TO the agricultural prosperity of the territory
United States 1t that in now recognized
the leading economic interests territory. agricultural inter-
est the islands exported sugar valued
which successful cultivation depends large extent from the
fOrested higher slopes plantations
But the situation cattle raising which in
economic Importance industry depends
largely range and overgrazng has been the
principal injury wooded area
AS preliminary to the formulation policy the interest
the islands whole the territory
the whole question on the ground by
artment OF Agriculture The report William
VINO maze the examination is now being printed Bulletin No.
49, THE Forests of Hawaii practical stand
point gives much information concerning these
uses.
Only large enough be important in for
the der portions the islands, in regions heavy rain
fall on the mountain slopes They
of
sections of the States In the Hawaiian
Islands, however, it much srahter the
states having response to altered conditions
1t not native but introduced planted
The still healthy having diameter of two feet
and height fifty feet From mesquite or
there called agarOb forests among islands The
WOOD chiefly valuable for fuel and fence posts The forests exceed
ngy important furnishing food for
stock The mesquite pods they fall to the
the "eeS and are gathered and fed dry all through the
Because of these and the reproduction
the
those of the mountain slopes and are ali essentially
of tropical character About are
best conditions attans diameter Of @ sih ana under
feet Commercially value for in driving
checks and badly Its protective Its
most Iuxurnt underground is always found beneath
its salcrOwnd Indeed underground
vine and similar Climbers
feet height and that virgin forests of hua mpnetra
@ dark unes Thus
The present forest is about
traced three Clearing agriculture stock grazing and
grass encrOahment Cattle eighteenth
ana o years were protected by rigid laws forbdng their auh
ter By 1915 they had increased
accomplished Much Of the underpouth Of tI ft peer
pigs and deer all of these year by year
tampng and grazing showed plainly
ed The encrOhng ground ~
ton In the rainy districts o
they occupy
try that well
Clearing for agricultural responsible
much OF forest destruction Since the best which
islands can be put is agriculture fault
provided carried supply agr
culture itself depends The rainfall of the Oesed portion of the islands
from to inches the
supply In addition
it be true in Hawaii that
Where the mountains with their cooling
above 5000 feet forests are especially needed The trade winds
changing these and leading storage
cutting danger both to the amount of water
principal crops sugar
and rice much their
opinion the islands has taken form practical
Sugar companies have established
being large Tree planting
large scale by number OF land owners The government began
twenty-five with appropriation
taken when the last legislature policy
tered upon work to protect and utilize the forests the best adj
The of
ate
largely under lease private individuals mainly
When the established
the wild
Where reproduction not rapid badly
planting to supplement the natural forest Il is believed that
trees Of greater commercial than native
cessfuly planted.
The conflict of interests sugar planters
evident but need seriously rehabilitation of the
atemen instances
rightly contend for the intact
greatest possible of growing