The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-03-14
SCIENTIFIC
|. NUMBERING
Work i'm the Koa Forest
TO Be Carefully
Carried On,

FAli the work of timber cutting on
the lands of the Bishop estate in Keau-
hou district, where the big koa forest
is, the timber rights for which are be-
ing leased by new corporation, is to
be done according to the best exprr,
advice we could get,'' said Frank B.
Dodge yesterday. tThere IS no inten-
ton whatever of allowing anyone to 90
there and skin the country of lumber.
Further than that, the work to be
done there is being done under the rec
ommendation, strongly urged, of the
superintendent of Forestry 81 the Ter
ritories. What is to be done will be
along the lines Of scientific forestry
and under strict regulations provided
in the agreements of lease.
"a year and half ago the trustees
of the Bishop estate were approached
by lumbermen for a license to cut on
these lands. We applied then to the
Board of Agriculture and Forestry for
the services of a forester to visit the
koa forest and advise US what to DO.
r. S. hosmer, the Superintendent of
Forestry, therefore accompanied me to
the district and we spent three days in
the wood, going thoroughly into the
SITUATION. On the basis of his report,
further negotiations with the lumber
men were entered upon
HOSMER's OPINION.
"a. IL
on the best methods OF handling our
lands there and recommended that the
numbering operations should be pro-
ceeded with, provided the work was
done under methods that would provide
for the protection of the young trees
and certain restrictions put in the
agreement. These restrictions include
the preservation OF all trees under "a
inches in diameter, the protection of all
standing timber from damage during
the operations, the taking of all posi-
bic precautions against FIRE and provide
that all work is to be done under the
careful supervision of an Inspector to
be appointed by the trustees.
q Much of the work contemplated
will be done on dead and fallen tim
Der, which it will be OF great advant
age to have cleared out. Some or the
very best samples Of koa timber we
have have been taken out of dead
trees, which have been lying on the
ground no one knows how long. Long
enough to become covered up with
brush and moss. at any rate. Some
logs have been uncovered six feet
through and measuring from forty to
fifty feet along the clear stem, all in
good condition. The removal of these
fallen trees will give the young growth
a chance to develop.
LOCAL CAPITAL.
g The lease we are contemplating is
for a ffteen-year term anu covers -,
900 acres, coming into effect on Janu
airy l, 1907. From reports and esti-
mates gathered it is expected that ff
teen million feet of lumber viii be cut
under the license.
All the men interested in the lease
are well known Honolulans and all the
capital is to be raised locally.
Gone of the provisions III the agree
ment is that the small koa grove near
the Volcano is to lie left as an attrac
ton to tourists. No numbering opera
tions will be carried on nearer than.
two miles from the volcano, extending
back from there for seven or eight
miles
"There are other koa tracts in the
islands which it would be distinct
advantage to have cleared out in the
same way as is contemplated with this
me. Scientific forestry does not de-
;troy the forests, and it would mean
the using of much valuable timber
which is now only going to waste, while
he growth of the young trees would |
De helned."