The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-11-14
PLANTERS FINISH
Continued from Page one,

The report, which will be published
in full in a subsequent number of the
Advertiser, concluded as follows:
Altogether 1907 has been a memoir
able year in the history of forestry
and forest products in Hawaii. Wheth-
er the events of the year shall be taken
TO heart and made available for the
beneficial progress of the Territory,
either through the medium of public
or private enterprise, depends largely
upon the intelligence and energy Of
the members of this association.
In the past the subject of forestry
has been largely treated by this as
ISOLATION as an interesting incident,
but not as one of direct concern or
of possible immediate benefit or profit
to its members. Within two years I
have heard of trees bounding fields
being cut out because the shade in
jured the adjoining cane.
IN all earnestness I urge upon the
association that the time for this view
of forestry and it's possibilities in Ha-
wall has past, and that the preserva-
ton, propagation and utilizing of for
ests and forest products should from
this time forth be made one of the
Planters Association, both by it as
an organization, and through the in
dividuals and corporations which give
it it's strength
FORESTRY SUPERINTENDENT
REPORT,
r. S. Hosmer, superintendent of for
estry in the Bureau of Agriculture and
Forestry, presented a paper on the
work accomplished and planned by his
department. during the past year, deal
ing particularly with the establishing
of forest reserves and the necessity of
extending this work.
Since the last meeting of the Ass0-
citation three forest reserves, one each
on Oahu, Maui and Kauai, have been
set aside, having a combined area of
IS, $50 acres. It is now proposed TO
form additional reserves in West Maui,
Makawao, honolulu and at Kohala.
Each of the forest reserves set apart
during the past year." said Mr. Hos
mer, sis made with the idea of pro-
tectfng the forest on the watersheds Of
streams important for irrigation, pow
err development or other use. They
are all essentially protection forests
and as such it is desirable that the
forests within their boundaries be kept
strictly intact. The same statement
holds true of the projected reserves on
Maui and on the Kohala mountain.
TWO CLASSES OF FOREST.
s'It is perhaps pertinent at this june
ture to consider certain essential diff
ferences between the two main classes
of forest in Hawaii. AS L have pointed
out in previous reports the primary
Importance of the Hawaiian forests
lies in their value as a protective cover
on the watersheds of the streams OF
the Territory, of which the water is
needed for irrigation, power develop
ment, domestic supply and other uses.
In practically all of the forest reserves
on the windward side of the islands,
or in districts where the reserve pro-
tects permanently running streams or
springs, the forest cover should be kept
intact, in order that the forest as
whole, including both the trees of the
main stand and the shrubs and smaller
plants of the underground, may exer-
else to the full their function Of re-
tarding the run-off and thus helping
to maintain a moderately even flow in
the streams. For this reason l re-
ported adversely, last July, on a prop
osition to lumber the forest on the
government land of Piihonua, Hawaii, |
in the Hilo forest reserve, on the
ground that the opening UP of the
forest on that land would be detri-
mental to the favorable conditions ex-
listing on the drainage basin of one OF
the most valuable streams in the Ter
Wsiluku river.
THE COMMERCIAL FOREST.
''On the leeward side of the islands, |
however, and in districts where be- |
cause of topography and other factors |
there is no permanently running water, |
a quite different condition obtains. !
Here the commercial value of the for |
est takes first place in an estimate of |
its worth. Especially is this true Of
Hawaii and particularly of the Kona |
district, although it also holds good |
of sections of Kau and Puma. 1t is |
hereby necessary to remark that in the |
utilization of the forests in these dis
tricts the work ought to be done with |
due regard to the future. Except in |
localities where it is obvious that the |
land can be used to better advantage |
for other purposes than growing trees, |
the indication is for methods of con- |
sentative numbering, whereby the
mature trees of merchantable value |
now on the land may be removed in |
such a way that the forest will be left |
in good producing condition, which will !