The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-11-12

munity where influences of this kind
! are at work to debauch the voter7 Fol
myself [ believe our sole protection
lays in pushing ahead and securing a
direct primary law.
JOHN EMMELUTH.
such as to more than warrant all plan
tations, especially those which use rail-
roads and have large amounts of fenc,
ing to do, experimenting with cultivat-
ed forestry.
Refreshing for Conservation Purposes.
"This subject, like the poor, is al
ways with US. What has been said and
repeatedly resaid on this subject is to-
day more vital to the agricultural in
terests of Hawaii than ever, and in no
case more so than to the irrigated SUI
gar plantations.
"On every island forestry reserves
have been set apart on paper but scarce
anywhere has there been anything but
the most limited attempt at reforest-
ing.
Under normal conditions, protec-
ton from live stock would be suf1i-
cient, as the forests would reseed them
selves.
- For several reasons this does not
take place in most locations in Hawaii
The multitudinous insects which de-
your the forests and root fungus
which is killing the natural woods by
thousands of acres in a number of
localities and the heavy growth of the
Hilo grass and other coarse grasses
which so cover the ground that seeds
cannot terminate, are rapidly destroy
ing forests in regions where water con-
servation is most needed.
Whether or not the entomologists
can introduce parasites which viii neu-
tralize the deadly effect on forests of
insects and fungus growths is now
being made a subject of study by the
Planters experiment station. 1t win
probably be far more difficult to OBJ
tain results than it has been to meet
the ravages of insects directly attack
ing the cane; but the incidental effect
upon the sugar plantations is so great
that no effort should be spared to OBJ
tain results in this direction.
Artificial Refreshing.
Irrespective of the arrest of the
decay of the forests, reforesting shoula
be actively taken up at an early date,
on a large scale, both by the govern
ment and by private interests, or the |
flow of water on a number of the wa |
tersheds is liable to be seriously dimin
ished.
The watershed most urgently in |
need of rescue and reforesting is that |
Of the Kohala mountain, on Hawaii. |
A large portion of this, under private |
ownership, is still being overrun by
cattle, resulting in the continued re
:ession of the woods. A considerable /
area of private lands should be secured |
oy exchange or purchase and repIanted /
1t the earliest possible date, or diminu
ion of the water flow will certainly
follow.
Next to Kohala, the watershed
area which, in my opinion, most seri
,usly needs attention is that of the
Eva basin and the district of Waialua
N the Island of Oahu.
The amount of water flowing or
,eing pumped from the supply furnish
d by this small watershed is some
hing enormous, amounting to several
hundreds Of millions Of gallons per
lay. Droughts affect the quantity of
he artesian supply and no possible
tep should be left untaken to protect,
conserve and increase the product of
his watershed
4 paper line Of forestry reserva
ion has been located and partially
enced, but systematic tree planting
o further conserve the water flow and
,revent its running off in storms,
hould be Systematically taken hold of
" the plantations which depend upon
his supply for their irrigation. The
government owns but little land in
be district and cannot be expected
o do much. So far the only tree
lanting has been done by the company
which is the least interested in the
irect conservation of water flow, viz,
he Oahu Railroad & Land Company.
{ has, at a limited expense, made such
fine showing upon the top Of the
Faianae mountains that its example IS +
worthy Of emulation on larger scale, /
Y the sugar plantations interested
Government Forestry.
So far, the appropriations for gov
rnment forestry have been Insufficient