The Hawaiian gazette., 1904-12-16
THE BOARD OF
AGRICULTURE
An important Meeting
Of the Farm
Experts.

|
ritorial Board of Agriculture to attend
the National Forestry Association con-
vention in Washington In January,
discussing the commercial possibilities
of koa lumber exports and rubber trees
propagation, and listening to reports
of the fight being waged against de-
structive fruit and agricultural insects,
formed the essential features of the
meeting of the Board of Agriculture
yesterday afternoon.
MAUI FOREST RESERVE.
The following resolution presented by
| the special committee on forestry was
passed whereby the report of Prof.
Hosmer on the Maui forest reserve was
adopted:
Resolved, that the Board of Agricul-
ture hereby recommend the setting a
part of the Government Forest land
| of Makawao, island of Maui. being n
portion of said land of Makawao. con-
tanning 20Sl acres more or less, being
indicated as a forest reservation. and
also that those portions of the anu
puaa of kalialiinui, containing 5,IlS
acres is an important and valuable part
of the Koolau forest which is a natural
boundary of the forest aforesaid" The
resolution called for notifying the Gov
ernor of the Boards action.
THE VOLCANO KoA.
Superintendent of Forestry Hosmer
also presented the following report OF
his visit to the koa forest back of the
Volcano House, Hawaii, near the era
ter of Kilauea:
I beg to submit herewith report
uron my recent trip of inspection to
| the land of Keauhou, Kau, Hawaii,
made in company with Mr.. +. $. Dodge
at the request Of the Bishop estate.
The tract visited was the lower half
| of that part of Keauhou lying on the
southeastern slope of Mauna Loa, ma
uka of the Government road and be-
tween the lands of Olaa and Kapapala.
| A strip of about mile in width on the
| Olaa side of this tract has been set
apart by the Bishop estate as private
| forest reserve. This area, $500 acres, Is
fenced in and cattle are excluded from
it. The remainder of the tract is leased
to Mr. o. Il. Shipman as a cattle ranch.
The portion of the tract containing
| the koa forest about which the Bishop
estate desires advice is strip just west
of the above described reserve. 1t ex-
tends from the Government road near
Mr.. Shipman's house to n paddock fence
across the tract at an elevation of
| about 5000 feet, some five miles IN
length by mile or more In breadth;
an area of between 1000 and 5000 acres.
on this section, particularly on its
upper half. Is fairly heavy stand of
large koa acacia koa) trees. The for
est is practically pure koa, there be-
ing few other trees in mixtures. Be
meath the koa is dense jungle of tree
ferns (cibotium menziesiD.
The koa trees are of good size and
quality, many of the larger ones being
| from so to 100 feet in height and from
| two to six feet in diameter breast high.
| These trees are mature and in my
judgment ought soon to be cut and
utilized.
The local conditions are such that
with proper facilities for handling the
logs the large trees could be felled and
got out of the forest at reasonable cost.
The demand for koa is believed to be
great enough to insure market for the
product and a fair profit, If the work is
handled in a business like way by the
right people. The proposition therefore
may be regarded as a feasible one from
a business standpoint.
Considered from the point of view of
the forester the removal of valuable
trees, when mature, Is distinctly good
policy, provided always that the work
is done in such a way that another
crop Is insured. This, indeed, is the
key note of forestry.
On the land in question | believe that
the value of the koa forests Is greater
because of its commercial importance
than for any other reason, that pro-
vided the work were done In accordance
with forestry methods, the mature trees
could be numbered without detriment to
the permanent productive value of the
forest; and, provided an assured market
can be secured, that the logging of the
tract at this time is good business poll
cy for the Bishop estate.
In my report to the Bishop estate
shall. therefore. recommend that the
tract be logged, provided suitable ar
engagements can be made as to stump
age prices, and provided also that GER
tain regulations, to be contained in my
report, be made part of the contract.
Very respectfully,
RALPH S. TOSMER,
Superintendent of Forestry.
Mr.. Thurston spoke of sandal
wood grove which he accidentally
stumbled on recently in the vicinity of
this koa forest. The trees were vigor-
Gus. the largest eighteen inches in
diameter, and were scattered over an
area of ten acres. The trees We're full
of seeds and flowers. He considered
1t valuable asset to the ground on
which 1t was growing and hoped it
would be saved.
PULLMANS AFTER KOA.
Mr.. Carter stated that he had heard
that the Pullman Car Co. was in
curing after koa. He did not know
whether they would make an effort to
obtain the wood from Hawaii or not.
The Pullman people have always
used expensive and rare woods in fur
nishing the interiors of their cars. Koa
would show to advantage in any car
and alongside of any other wood.
DELEGATES FROM HAWAII.