The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-09-23

Mr.. Charles S. Judd, Special Forest
| Agent of the Division of Forestry
| Board of Agriculture and Forestry re-
| ports as follows relative to a grove OF
| Ceara rubber trees at Koloa, Kauai:
A grove of Ceara rubber trees is 10
| Gated about three miles northeast OF
| the village of KoIoa, at the base OF
| the high ridge which separates koloa
! from Lihue. 1t lies in a pocket with
ridges on three sides, at an elevation
of $50 feet above sea level. The valley
| is subject to frequent mountain show
| ers and is securely protected from the
trade winds. The southwest aspect al
| lows much sunlight to reach this part
| The ground slopes very gently and the
drainage is good. The soil consists OF
red loan, rather deep and moist, with
| a growth of MALE pilau, sea bean vine,
honohono and koali, with an under
brush of ii and guaya. The grove was
planted in 1895 by Mr.. Antoine Crop,
who obtained the seed from abroad.
The trees were set out promiscuously,
about forty feet apart, so that the
grove now covers an area of about five
acres. A natural forest consisting of
kukui. lauhala, and ohia al, with some
alligator pears, mango, orange and
coffee trees are growing among the
rubber trees, which seem to have Jared
better for the protection thus afforded.
About two acres Of rubber trees
planted forty by forty feet apart near
an unirrigated cane field appear to be
younger than the others. All have
been neglected. and are overgrown
with grass. There are some young
rubber trees twenty feet high and two
inches in diameter that seem to have
come up from self sown seed.
There are LOG trees in the grove. The
average diameter at IL feet from the
ground is 81 inches with correspond
ing average total height of twenty-slx
feet. The trees range from one to four
teen inches in diameter and from five
to forty-two feet in height Lengths of
trunk range from two to eighteen feet.
The largest trees usually branch near
the ground. The trees having been
allowed so much space are the more
inclined to fork and have wide spread
ing crowns.
No systematic tapping of the trees
has been made, but milk flows freely
from incisions in the bark. Many of
the trees are covered with vines which
have grown up into them and have
choked them by twisting about thei-
trunks.
In July, 1906, the manager OF the Ko-
loa plantation put the place in charge
of Porto Rican, who has cleared of uni
derbrush about a half acre and is grow
ing beans and corn beneath and be-
tween the trees. Where the ground un
der the rubber trees was cleared just
two months ago there are now spring
ing up hundreds of young rubber trees
up to one foot in height, SO thick that
one cannot help walking on them. The
ground in addition is covered with seed
and the trees are not only loaded with
matured fruits but are also in bios
som.
In the Lihue grove which was pre-
sumably started from seed brought
from the Koloa grove, q number of
the branches of the Ceara were cut
for fence posts. These have rooted
and sent out branches ten feet long
from the posts in one year. Propaga-
ton by cuttings thus seems to be not
only sure but quick. The top Of one
of the trees was broken off twice and
each time new bra@ches were put forth
by the tree.
Number of Ceara rubber trees in
Kauai groves:
Lihue Grove: 104 trees, Of which 56
are six inches or more in diameter at
1-2 feet from the ground; age of the
trees six and a half years; average
diameter Ia inches; average height