The Hawaiian gazette., 1907-05-03
THE REPORT
ON LANAI
tcon,inued from Page sls)

extending for a distance OF four milcr
southeast from the ranch headquarters
This bench averages about one mile In
| width. II II intersected by four deep
gulches rising in the main water
shed and extending In southwesteriy
direction so that the portions OF the
plateau between the gulches are nearly
rectangular IN form. This bench con-
tains about 1900 acres OF Government
! land on Kamoku, Kalulu, Kaunolu and
Kealaapuni. In addition about $50 acres
| OF this bench land are on the privately
| owned lands of Kealiakapu and Pala-
wal and about 450 acres on Kaohai.
'The 1900 acres of bench land on the
Crown and Government lands above
mentioned is as good agricultural land
as exists anywhere in Hawaii. The
rainfall at Kaele at an elevation OIL
from 1900 to 1880 feet amounts to from
80 to 80 inches per annum. This loca-
ton is to the westward OF the main
ridge and is less sheltered than any
other portion of the bench. That por'
ton of the bench farther to the south'
east. as far as Paliakoae gulch, judging
from the character of the vegetation,
receives a very much higher rainfall.
The soil Is deep, red, loan, compara'
lively free from stones and of good
texture. would say that there are at
least 1900 acres of land suitable for
pineapple cultivation. The annual
rainfall Is sufficient for this crop judg-
ing from the nature and appearance OF
the vegetation existing on this bench
land. The rainfall here is higher than
1t is in Kula on Maui. The soil is
deeper and apparently of very excel
lent quality. / believe also that there
is about n thousand acres of land that
would grow good tobacco, IL 1t were
desired to plant that crop instead of
pineapples.
wherever there Is a rainfall of 20
to 30 inches in Hawaii, enough water
for domestic purposes is obtainable
from roofs Even If it were desired
to grow crops which require irrigation,
tunnel not over 1900 feet in length
would bring the water from Maunalei
head-waters to the Kona side of the
island would estimate the value OF
the bench for either pineapples or to-
bacco at sS5 per acre and believe that
the bench land alone, for the purposes
Of pineapple or tobacco cultivation
could be sold on this basis OF valuation.
Below the bench extending along
its border from the ranch house to Pa
liakoae Gulch and bounded on the
southeast by Kamao and thence ex-
tending towards the northwest a dis
tance of about Z miles, is a broad level
or slightly rolling plain. / would esti-
mate the we'll grassed portion of this
plain as about 5000 acres, about 1000
acres of which forms a part of the
government lands of Kamoku, Kalulu.
Kaunolu, Kealiaapuni and Paawili.
The whole of this plain is covered
with close turf which indicates that
there Is probably 25 inches average
rainfall. The character and density of
growth also Indicate that the rainfall
is well distributed throughout the
year. There are no evidences of heavy
rainfall. that Is to say there are no
gulches or washes showing erosion as
a result Of torrential rains. The rain
fall in this region is probably derived
from valley showers from the clouds
that pass over the mountain. About
1000 acres OF this plain are second-class
agricultural land and capable of utiliz-
alton for the cultivation of sweet-po-
tatoes, peanuts during the winter
months, occasional crops of corn and
watermelons. From the grazing
standpoint, the carrying capacity of
this whole plateau or basin could be
doubled or tripled by planting Rhodes
grass and Paspalum dilatatum, to re-
place the pilipiliula and manienie.
Sufficient roof water could be obtain
ed for domestic purposes. The soil is
red, apparently very deep and free
from rocks This basin land plateau
would be worth at least an average