The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-11-26
REPORT OF TERRITORIAL
CONSERVATION COMMISSION
Natural Resources of neutrality-suspicious. on
Agriculture Waters, Forests and Lands---
Practical Recommendations.

: tant industries are the growing an
canning of pineapples, the production o
rice, coffee, sisal and bananas, and cat
S tie grazing. Rubber and tobacco Civ
. promise of good returns if rightly han
died.
i Waters-For the successful develop
ment of all these industries water
needed in larger or smaller quantities
In many cases this necessitates suppl
artifcially procured. There have al
ready been built, wholly by private en-
terprise and at private expense amount
ing to over $15,000,000, elaborate irriga
ton systems to supply water for the il
rigation of the sugar plantations But a
yet only part of the water that coulC
be turned to account is utilized In tn,
Harvesting of the streams to produce
power much also remains to be done.
Naturally the first step in a more
complete and rational utilization of this
great source and producer of wealth
is an accurate and exhaustive examina-
tion of the water resources of the Ter
Titory. In the judgment of this Com
mission the need for such a survey by
competent water experts is the most
pressing necessity in the way of con-
servation work, for on the possibility
of bringing more water onto the land
! depends the whole future development
of the Territory.
| There are no navigable streams in the
Territory of Hawaii. The value of
water centers in its use for irrigation
and power development.
Forests-The primary value of the
forests of Hawaii is that they serve
as a protective cover on the steep,
, short watersheds of the streams needed
for irrigation. This use was early rec
ognized and has led to the setting apart
of forest reserves-at first by private
owners and later, during the last five
years, under the direction of the Ter
ritorial government. At the present
time the fetal area of existing forest
reserves is 444, JIG acres, or about one
tenth of the total area of the Terri
tory. Later it is expected considerably
10 increase the area so set apart.
In certain of the leeward districts,
where the question of stream protection
does not enter, the Hawaiian forest has
commercial value, and is being system
atically exploited. The principal prod
ucts are Ohia Lehua railroad ties and
Koa lumber-in the trade called Ha-
waiian Mahogany fine grained, rich
colored hardwood, of value for interior
finish and cabinet work.
The forest work of the Territory is
carried on by technically trained men,
Hawaii being one of the eleven states
of the Union to employ professional
forester.
Lands-Outside of the lands now
under cultivation and those that should
be kept permanently under forest there
are considerable areas that with the ap-
plication of water could unquestionably
be made of high productive value. This
class of land is now used principally
for cattle grazing. In the aggregate
it includes many thousand acres. It
would appear that much of it is sus>
ceptible of reclamation for some more
intensive form of agriculture Here
again the present need is for a thor
ough and careful study by experts. Tt
should first be ascertained how much
of this class of land can be brought
under irrigation and second for what
purposes it is best adapted if an ade-
quate water supply were once assured.
This indicates that along with hydro
graphic survey there should also be a
soil survey and systematic classified
ton of the land according to the uses
to which it is best adapted Such in
vestigations pave the way for the in
coming of the man who can success
fully establish a home and build up
self sustaining industry.
In addition to the lands that can be
reclaimed through irrigation there are
in Hawaii large tracts of waste land,
such for example as areas covered by
comparatively recent lava flows. Much
of this class Of land must always re-
main as waste land but portions of it
are probably susceptible of being turn
ed to useful account. A systematic
classification of all lands would be a
long step in this direction.
Organization and Work of the Com
mission.
The Territorial Conservation Com
mission of Hawaii was appointed by
Governor Frear on July 23rd, 1905
Upon the organization of the Commits
sion at a meeting held on July 31st,
1908, it was decided to take up the in
vestigation through committees, as fol-
lows:
Forests-Messrs. Hosmer and Gartley.
Waters-Messrs. Gartley and w. O.
Smith
Lands and Soils-Messrs. J. G. Smith
and Dillingham;.
The several committees at once set
about getting statistics and other in
formation. Some of these data are sub
mitted herewith in the form of appen-
dices. Other data are not as yet in
shape to be given out but will form
the subject of later report. The state
ments made in the appendices, while
accurate as far as they 60 are therefore
to be considered as preliminary only
and subject to application.
1t is perhaps not surprising that it
has taken longer to collect accurate in
formation concerning the natural re-
sources of the Territory and their pres
sent condition than was at first antici-
pated. Many of the figures essential
to such a compilation were found not
to be available or only obtainable after
extended inquiry. This condition has
hrpuoht homo 20 : ~