The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1904-05-13
FORESTS
ON kauai
HOsmer Gives the
Results Of
Visit.

vISUSs
Ralph S. Hosmer. Superintendent of
Forestry. who maze the tour of Kauai
With Governor Carter is enthusiastic
over the forestry possibilities of the
Garden Isle.
The Island of Kauai is in many
ways one of the most interesting of the
group" said MIR. Hosmer yesterday.
Because of its broken and mountainous
topography Kauai is wonderfully at
tractive from scenic point of view,
and being the home of many of the
owners of the larger sugar plantations
is delightful island to visit.
ION Kauai there is an exceptionally
good opportunity for forestry work. on
the higher mountains in the center of
the island the original forests are still
intact, and although there has been en-
croachment on those on the lower levels,
the plantation owners are awake to the
desirabiity of preserving them and set
ting them aside as forest reserves.
several private forest reserves al
ready exist, notably the one above the
Lihue plantation where the Isenbergs
a forest fence some eight miles in
length, shutting off the cattle from the
upper lands AS a consequence the
trees are coming back on the partly
denuded slopes and before long a dense
stand of native trees and shrubs will
be the result.
This reserve should be increased by
the extension of the fence in either di-
rection. Propositions in regard to this
have already been submitted and it is
practically only a question of the ar
arrangement of details when the work
will be done.
Elsewhere on Kauai there are other
propositions looking to the reservation
of the upper forest lands, from which
comes the water used in irrigating the
cane fields and which is also potentially
valuable because of its power. Among
those looked into on this trip We're the
proposed reserves on the lands of Ha-
nalei and Kalhikai in Halelea, that
above the kilauea sugar plantation in
Koolau, and the mountain slopes behind
the Kealia plantation of the Makee Su-
gar Co.
Beside the natural forests on Kauai
there is a considerable area of planted
forest, especially on the Lihue planta-
ton. on the slopes of the old crater of
kilohani over 600 acres have been
planted with forest wood
and native koa being the two species
most used although there are a number
of other sorts in the forest, including
monkey-pod, black waffle and silver
oak. This plantation was started some
twenty years ago by professional for
ester, brought out by the lSenbergS
from Germany, and has been continued
and cared for up to the present tlme.
Many of the trees, in the forest have
now reached a large enough size 20 be
of merchantable value and all the fuel
for the plantation is now supplied from
the trimmings which are made in the
places where the trees stand too dense
~ for their own good. The better trees
are allowed to remain while the poorer
specimens are cut and utilized at once
putting the forest in better shape and
bringing i'm a return on the money IN
vested. The iron woods make good
growth and are thrifty trees, especially
at the lower elevations, for above 600
or 700 feet they do not grow so well as
nearer the sea.
Besides the upland forest there have
been a number of good sized areas OF
iron woods planted makai. These plan
tations are primarily made as wind
breaks to protect the sugar cane grow
ing near the sea. They are highly sue
cessful examples of what can be ac-
complished by intelligent effort in the
right direction.
about "A number of the homes of the
leading men of Kauai can be found
specimens of rare and valuable trees,
some of which may one day be OF great
Importance in this Territory
Especially active in the importation
of new and untried trees have been Mr.
Geo. n. Wilcox and the Rev. Hans lsen-
berg. The experiments made by these
gentlemen will, l believe, be of lasting
influence.
"There is one other point should like
| to msntion-that is the interest Whlch
| is taken by some of the teachers IN
| beautifying their school grounds. Es-
pecially noteworthy is the work done
\ by Mr.. |. c. Davis, principal of the Ha-
Inalel school. During the last 1--WE years
/ MIR. Davis has set out on his school
grounds a considerable variety of palms
land crotons, as well as surrounding the
place with a wind break of kamanl
trees. The lawns are well kept and all
together the grounds are as attractive
las any one could desire, comparing
'nvnubly with those in Honolulu itself
\ \ we'll cared for school vegetable gar
dem, whore each of tho pupils has his
own plot aul baseball and eroQu''
grounds hear testimony Co the fact mat
the Hamlei teachers believe in nlI
luruuud development uf mind ANA body
"lf pll uur school yards Wen. as wen
lpruNIri for aub wkHu Hrr uf '7 lh.
bono Ut iiumluI 10 would Hdl wI'n n
LAM. 4fIrt,tIl.u.ss oft INH Islands bN.