The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1907-10-31
HOSMER REPORTS
ON KONA FORESTS
MEETING OF THE COMMISSIONERS
OF AGRICULTURE AND FORES-
TRY YESTERDAY.

The Board of Commissioners OF
Agriculture and Forestry met yester-
day afternoon, and a number of i'm
portant matters were discussed The
subject of the MALE pilau vine which
threatens to become even more danger
out pest than the antana proved to be,
was talked of very pessimistically. An
other subject that was taken up at
length was the best way to rid the
Territory of the queen bees.
A request was received from the gov
ernor asking that the appointment of
F. 4. P. Waterhouse as a special re-
preventative to look into the rubber
industry at Ceylon be made. Another
matter of great Importance that came
up was the question of the bureaus
part in the coming exhibition of the
Poultry Fanciers Association. A num-
Der of reports from the various heads
of the bureau were also read.
The following is part OF Forester
Hosmer's report.
From August 20 to 81 was on
Maui, making an examination of the
forest planting now going on on the
lands of the Alexander & Baldwin in
terests, in several localities near
Haiku; in an inspection of a portion
Of the proposed Makawao forest re-
serve, where there is a question of
forest planting; in a visit to the rub
Der plantations at Nahiku; and in an
examination of certain problems in
the Koolau forest reserve. AT Nahiku
l saw in some detail the groves of
the several plantations and discussed
with the different managers various
matters in connection with rubber
growing.
so far as the growth of the trees
goes, the outlook at Nahiku is most
promising and from all present indi-
cations satisfactory yield of latGX
seems assured. The problems of find
ing the best method of tapping and
harvesting the rubber, involving as
they do the training of skilled work
men, now loom large, but l am con-
fident that a satisfactory solution will
be found when the matter receives
careful attention With the trees
growing at the present rate it will
not be long before the older groves
will be large enough to permit sys-
tematic experiments to be begun.
"On September 10 l started on the
trip from which l have just returned.
Going first to the Kona district on
Hawaii, 1 made as thorough an in
spection of the forested area from
Mt. Hualalai to the Kau district line
as it possible, without the cutting OF
numerous and expensive trails through
the forest Using existing trails
through the woods as a basis, | made
a general examination of the forest as
whole; including both government
and private forest lands.
On this basis l am prepared to make
recommendations for the government
land, as well as to the several owners,
as to methods of managing this area,
in accordance with the principles of
forestry. Such reports are now in
preparation; they will later be brought
to the attention of the board.
In this connection it seems to me
appropriate to repeat the statement,
made in former reports of mine, that
the forest question in this Territory
has two very distinct aspects. On the
windward side of the islands, espe-
cially Hawaii and Maui, in districts
where there is living water in springs,
brooks or streams that is either made
use of locally, or impOunded for the
irrigation Of lands more or less near
at hand, the forest is mainly inn
portant as a protective cover, and as
such should be kept as nearly intact
as may be. On the leeward side of
the islands, on the other hand, where
the onIy living water is found in oc-
casional springs, a different treat
ment is indicated. Here the forest,
excepting always such areas as may
be necessary to protect the living wa
ter that does exist, is and ought to
be considered in relation to its COM
mercial value.
80 in the Kona district, having
carefully studied the situation on the
ground, l am in favor of numbering
the mature trees, both koa and ohia,
for / believe that if the work in the
woods is properly done and the areas
cut over are handled subsequently in