The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1904-01-18

/ nilIar trees OF the north temperate zone
are present There are no oaks, NAPLES,
pines, OF sDruces. There Is ore repre-
sentative each OF SopIudus, Sophora. and
Aauthoxylun7, and two or three OF AGA
cia, all differing distinctly from their cor
geneTs IN the United States. One tree.
Ohia Lehua tMetroslderos polyuoTpfla }.
gives character 70 perhaps three ourths
OF the forest, covering the ground either
IN pure stand or with q small adnixTure
OF Koa, Kolea, kopiko, Kukui, Nalo,
and Pua.
Seldom does the Lehua form 4 dense
stand. The trees are far apart (see
frontIspiece), have small. thin crowns.
and under varying conditions in the
forest grow from 10 TO 100 feet high
In the best forests they often reach a
diameter OF feet. with clear length OF
10 to 50 feet. The LLellua trunk IS
straight, but near the ground deeply
ribbed and frequently divided into sew
eral branches. It's wood IS Of reddish
color, heavy. and IN drying checks and
warps SO badly that II IS Of little use
except for fuel.
Though Lehua trees grow IN thin
stand, the normal Lehua forest, on ac-
count OF the abundant and luxuriant
underground. IS impenetrable, except
as one cuts his way with axe and knife
To begin with, many trees support
climbers, ike the Ie-ie vine, which
grows into the crowns and may lace
together with Tope-hke stems the trees
OF an entire forest Then there IS the
fern growth, marvellous IL its variety
and luxuriance With species which
range in height from few inches to
50 feet. grow both on trees and on
IL Z IL
shade endurance. the ferns do much
toward making the virgin Hawaiian
forest the inpenetrable. dark Jungle
which It often IS. In coves OF extreme
wetness wild banana TO some extent
supplants the ferns. Moses in places
cover the ground and tree trunks III a
layer several inches deep and grow III
great punches over \ foot thick on Sis
pended vines and dropping twlgs, Civ
ing an appearance of weird drapery
In such dark forest II seems anoma-
louS TO find the Oilia. tree of pro
nouuced intolerance. reproducing itself
generation after generation. It does 50
through rs singular habit Of gern1inat-
ing IN the trunks Of standing or fallen
trees, and especially on the hbrous
trunks OF the tree fern, which IS adTr7i-
rably suited 70 It's needs. Only in these
places can Il get the light II requires
As soon as Il terminates It sends several
roots down 70 the ground, sometimes
through as much as so feet OF space.
When the host decays the tree IS left
standing on is several roots. as before
described The natives have an adage
that the ATnau (1ree fern) Is the mother
Of the Lehua- On the drier mountain
slopes the Lel7ua IN some districts TelIn-
pushes rs predominant place to other
species. such as the Naio. Kolea. kopiko.
koaia, and Koa-
Koa ACACIA tooa), besides occurring
N mixture with Lehua, forms pure
stands over several extensive tracts in
Hawaii and Maui This Is usually
spreading tree with short trunk Occult /
ring in somewhat scattering stands. /
Il reaches a diameter OF 8 I
feet and . height OF = feet Ii geneT- +
ally has the Characteristic fern under
growth koa is the ore fairly abundant .
tree OF the Hawaiian forests which has
any economic value. II Is highly
arized cabinet wood, has been 50 used
in the islands and exported N limited
quantities Considerable quantities Of
mature koa yet remain in the Island
Of Hawaii
kskui (Aluries n1oluccana). a hand +
sonae tree with large siIverv leaves
pointed Ike our California Sycamore.
,haracterizes the bottoms and sides OF
yulches and streams to a height of 1000
.eet. II bears an oily nut which the
natives IN olden times used for illun1ina-
ion. Il has no commercial value now
AIau1ane S0Dhora cfrysophylla) Is the
rec OF the high mountains and useful
,osr timber On the sides Of Mauna
<ea. At elevations Of 5000 TO 5000 feet.
7 Is rapidly extending and seems 10 suf-
er no injury from heavy grazing.
IMPORTANCE OF HAWAIIAN
FORESTS.
L can not be claimed that these for
SIS ave great commercial value But
or protecting the mountain slopes. for
-3therIng and distributing a useful sup
u OF water Tor irrigating purposes, they
ave value which IN the opinion Of
Many, : dInCu}r TO Overstate.
{ hey lie directly above the caneheids.
a many places cover steep, even precipi-
1vs slopes. receive from 30 10 200 or
lore inches Of rainfall per year, and are
I such character as TO hold in suspen-
ION a tremendous quantity Of water
The land which depends upon them
OF a regular supply OF water produces,
I sugar and rice, crops Of immense ;