The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1911-07-24

found growing on almost every lsiohu
in the group.
The early planting was largely
without any system and was purely
for ornamental purposes. Little at
tempt has been made to utilize the
information obtained by this expert
mental planting, and outside of the
eucalypts, ironwood (Casuarina)
acacias, silk oak (Grevillea), and
three or four other species, the intro
duced trees occur singly, and are
rarely seen in groves or forests. 1t
is not at all uncommon to find an old
home surrounded by grove contain
ing from twenty to sixty different
kinds of trees. Such planting, OF
course. is of little commercial value.
What is probably the Oldest sys-
tematic forest plating is found at
Ulupalakua on the Island of Maui,
where, on Prospect Hill, at an eleva-
ton of $500 feet, may be seen
grove of eucalypts forty to fifty years
old Although the trees were planted
for ornamental purposes, and are not
properly spaced, they have shown re-
markedly good growth and clearly
indicate the adaptability of the euca-
UNITS to certain localities in Hawaii.
Trees three or four feet in diameter
and seventy-five to one hundred feet
in height are not uncommon.
Next in point of age is a grove oil
ironwood (Casuarina equisetifolia)'
about four acres in extent, planted
in 1874 near Lihue, Island Of Kauai,
on the land of Grove Farm. Here
NAV also be found various younger
groves of ironwood, as well as groves
of eucalypts and silk oak (Grevillea
robusta)
The Lihue Plantation on the Island
of Kauai wac the first to begin the
systematic planting of forests Tor
purely commercial purposes. Inc
native forest had been destroyed and
scarcity of wood was imminent.
Accordingly, a German forester was
employed in 1882 to plant trees for
the purpose of supplying the planta'
ton with fuel. The forester re-
manned for fifteen years, during
which time a large tract of land was
repIanted, mostly with ironwoods.
Forest planting is regarded at Lihue
as a regular part of the plantation
program, new groves being started
every year.
About the same time the govern
ment began the systematic reforesta-
ton of the slopes of Tantalus, back
of Honolulu. More than thirty differ
ent species of eucalyptus were here
planted, besides a number of other
kinds of trees. One of the most
promising commercial groves of trees
may be found on the land of the
Paauhau Plantation in the Hamakua
district, on the Island of Hawaii. On
an area ofabout forty acres two spe-
cies of eucalyptus were planted, E.
globuIus, the blue gum, and E. cttri-
odora, the lemon-scented gum. A
more complete description of this
grove is given later on.
The most extensive planting of
eucalyptus on a commercial scale
was begun in 1896 on the Island of
Maui by the Maui Agricultural Com
pany. This planting has continued
almost without a break to the pres
ent time. A number of species have
been thoroughly tried, and the re
suits obtained are most encouraging
The planting in the past has shown
that of the many kinds of trees sc
far tried, the various species o.
eucalyptus are the most promising
and are best suited to the purposes
for which planting is done on the
islands. Other trees, like ironwoods
are particularly good for certain
uses, as for windbreaks, and for Ger
tain localities, such as sandy sci
beaches, but the eucalyptus are tn
best all-around trees in most situa
lions.
The various species of eucalypt
differ from each other not only /
size and form but also in their phys
, ical and climatic requirements {
moisture, temperature, soil, etc. Man
: eucalyptus are straight cylindrical an
! clear of branches for a great heigh
+ while others are crooked, forked an
= branchy. The wood OF some trees
q soft and brittle, while that of Other
p is hard and tough and very durabl
Y Some eucalyptus can thrive on poe
Q soils and can stand much drough
while others require rich, moist sol
e and plenty of rainfall BY judiciol
selection it is thus possible to choo