The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1906-02-08

ing it is further recommended that the
Governor be requested to declare the
area d forest reserve and to set aside
as portions thereof the government
lands of Waimano and Wahiawa lying
within the boundaries.
COMMITTEE REPORT FAVORABLY
This was the substance of the extend
ed report upon which the Committee
on Forestry presented their recon-
incubation, as follows:
Honolulu. T. H, February 5, 1906.
Board of Agriculture & Forestry, Ho-
nolulu, T. H.
Gentlemen: Your Committee on For
estry have received from Mr.. r. S.
Hosmer, superintendent of Forestry,
report upon a proposed forest reserve
along the west slope of the Koolau
Range. extending from the boundary
of the Honolulu district to and includ-
ing the land of Wahiawa, on the Is
land of Oahu.
The proposed reserve lies entirely
within the Eva district except one
land. Waianae-uka which is in the
district of Waianae, and Wahiawa
which is in the district of waialua.
the Koolau Range of mountains and
the makai boundary is line drawn
along approximately the present lower
edge of the forest and ranging from
an approximate elevation above sea
level of from 500 to 1000 feet.
The total area of the proposed re-
serve is approximately 28,550 acres of
which approximately 4759 acres is gov
eminent land not now under lease and
available for immediate segregation
as a forest reserve.
With very limited exceptions the land
lying above the forest line is SO broken
with deep gulches with almost precip-
itOus sides, that the land is unavaila-
BILE for agricultural purposes and of
but little value for pasturage purposes.
Even if the land proposed to be re-
served were much better suited for Gull
tivation and pasturage than it is your
committee are of opinion that it would
be wise economy to reserve it for for
est purposes as the lands lying in the
Eva basin are of value almost solely
by reason of the water which origin
ates in the area proposed to be re-
served.
The present annual output of sugar
from the district which depends upon
this watershed for almost it's entire
water supply is approximately $6,000.-
900. The sugar cane is raised in the
district referred to only up to an eleva-
ton of 600 feet above sea level. The
area between this level and the pro-
posed forest reserve is pineapple land
of the highest quality. There is now
under cultivation in pineaDples up
wards of 1000 acres with every indica-
ton that that area will be very rapidly
increased.
A very large proportion of the bana-
mas and rice produced in the Territory
also comes from the same district
Your committee consider the pro-
posed reserve to be the most impor-
tant watershed of it's size in the Ter
ritory. They are further of opinion
that not only should the reserve be
made but that an earnest attempt
should be made, at as early date as
practicable, to refOrest the slopes be-
low the present forest line in order to,
as far as possible conserve the rain
fall and prevent the rapid flow to the
sea of the storm water so as to make
the same available for longer periods
between rains.
1t is the belief of the committee that
the heartiest cooperation may be eX-
pected from the owners and lessees of
private lands lying within the proposed
reserve not only in connection with
establishing the reserve but in con-
nectiOn with the proposed reforesting.
Mr.. Low, manager of the Honolulu
Plantation, has already volunteered to
carry out a tree planting program on
the lands back of his plantation, not
only within but below the proposed for
est lines. Such tree planting program
should receive every possible assistance
from this board.
Your committee are of opinion that
the reserve recommended by Forester
Hosmer should be recommended by
the board to the Governor for formal
reservation as a forest reserve recon-
to the board the adoption of
q resolution to that effect
Yours respectfully.
L. A. THURSTON.
A. W. CARTER.
w. NJ. GIFFARD.
Committee on Forestry.
GOES TO THE GOVERNOR.
The following resolution was then
presented by Mr. Carter. seconded by /
Mr.. Holloway and carried:
Resolved That all of those certain |