The Hawaiian gazette., 1908-01-17

Na. lSAlEA and OOunkN % kt1M All
made an extended Investigation Of tbs
forest lands in that district. seeing a:
much az the forest as possible from
existing trails. and in general getting
/ in touch with the forest situation.
south from Hookena the district /:
/ practically undeveioped- Except for s
/ narrow belt along the government
road. thar hardly anywhere reache:
above the spa0 foot contour line. tbs
4 higher land is heavily forested; and
leven the cultivated area is not con-
! tinuous for ancient lava fields and
I more recent. well defined flows confin'
Z the good sol 10 pockets and kepukas
o. varying sire. In many OF these tbs
( soil = rich and OF high productive ca
pacity but their location is known 4
I but few persons and what little ac--l-
I rate information there is is not gen
I orally available
( Al irregular intervals lava flows
mainly OF the IA type. extend 70
/ and below the government road. Mary
I o. these are covered with ohia lehua
Q trees of large size and excellent quail
iJy. giving 20 what would otherwise
Z bs barren stretches a valuable crop.
8 On the flows the CHA tends 10 form
a pure stand but elsewhere il is found
q mixture with the Other trees char
/ scteristic Of the lower forest zone. At
about +eo0 feet all through South Kona
Is an abrupt line OF dsmarkation be-
tween the ohia forest below and the
koa belt. which extends on up 70 about
55ag feet Higher than this ohia again
appears but ar this elevation il is
scrubby in type. as is also such scat
tsrins koa as is found in mixture with
IL. This formation runs up into the
great privately owned land OF Kahuku-
owing 70 the absence Of permanent
Is running streams and tAs scarcity
even Of springs. the chief value OF the
forest in South H0na rests in its COM
mercial importance. and because Of th;'
growing demands for ohia railroad ties
ohis as well as kOa becomes 4 factor
% be reckoned with. 7 am confident
that rightly numbered the forest on the
government land IN South Roua can
De made 70 yield a considerable reve-
nue. % She Territory and at the same
riu-e Be brought under 4 system Of
forest management that viii lead 10
an Improvement in the condition OF
the forest and insure future returns
as well While this statement applies
particularly 10 the area above an ele-
walton OF $500 or 5000 feet I believe it
would be 20 the advantage OF the
government 70 include in any plan Of
forest utilization all the government
forest in South Hona that has COM
msrcial value. In this way the stands
Of ohia on the lava flows that come
down 20 and across the government
road would be iuCludsd as well as the
ohia and koa mauka-
II Is recognized that this DEPART
ueut Is the appropriate branch Of the
government 70 take charge Of its for
ss- work The disposition OF the tim
Der on these lands is essentially 7
forest problem Therefore. in my
Judgment al Of the government lands
in South Hona on which there is now
q commercial forest should De, set
arart-ar any rate Tor Ihe present.
a. q forest reserve. To accomplish
this it viii be necessary that the
boundaries OF a number Of the lands
be run. that certain points be located
and that some other surveying work
b. done. such as tie location Of the
principal topographic features have
taken Up the matter in a tentative
way with Mr. Val. the government
Surveyor. and ind that were an official
request made il would probably be
possible for one % his assistants 70
start almost AZ once 70 do such work
as may Be required IN order that no
time may be lost I therefore recon-
mend that the Beard authorize this
request !
There Is an additional reason why
such s. survey as Is here proposed
should be made now As has been
pointed o1r there = much good land
belonging % the government in South
Eo1a but az present there is very lit
lie accurare information avafIzble in
regard 20 its character and condition
WIZ the development Of the district
through the opening 10 Of better
means Of ra1Sportatfou-0f which
there now seems prouis-WiU come
a demand for this land \ eompre-
henSive survey including the location
Of the boundaries and OF the main
topographic features i imperatfveIy
NEEDED before any appraisal or aIIot-
usnt can b made The proposed sur
vsy win make available these data
a weu a. those in regard 10 the for
ss-
II the Beard approves this recon-
usu6ario1 I sEau- after the survey
: made submit q more detailed report
On the forest situation II South Kona-
Until more Information IS available
than az present It i impossible 10
recommend accurately what bounda-
-iss should b chosen IS the limits OF
The projected reserve
Very respectfully.
RALPH : HOSNrER-
SuperintenEsnt q Forestry
4 letter vas received from the
County Clerk q Kauai county. ac-
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