Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1913-04-05

press, really impressive estimate
of the value Of the services OF this
bureau or branch of the territorial
government. is not had until they are
all summed up in the biennial report
OF the commissioners to the COVER
nor. That for the period ending De-
cember 81, 1912, contains ESQ pages,
besides SO insert plates. .-:..
First dealt with in the general re-
port is the division OF forestry. Up
to the close OF 1912. q forest reserves
had been set apart by proclamation
of the governor. They now have a
total area OF 683.101 acres, of which
454,Sl0 acres, or 81 per cent, is land
belonging TO the territory. THE ma
tive forest I'm Hawaii" the report
says, lis primarily of Importance be-
cause Il is the best cover obtainable
for the catchment basins of the
streams needed for irrigation. Its
chief product is water, not wood. To
make II serve its purpose most fully
IL needs to be managed strictly as
protection forest, from which men
and animals are alike excluded"
Much tree planting was done by the
territory on public lands, and by
sugar planting corporations on their
own lands, in she past two years.
From the government nursery in Ho-
nolulu. and sub-nurseries on Hawaii
and Kauai, there were sent out in
1911 trees to the number of 0,739.
In 1912 the number was S06,537.
Free distribution on Arbor Day has
continued to be a feature. With the
aid OF the federal government, expert
mental planting of exotic trees OF
economic importance has been con-
tinued
Needs Of Forestry
Pressing needs OF the division of
forestry are emphasized, being: 1,
better protection of native forests
needed for watershed cover: 2, bet
ter provision for distributing seed
lings by the establishment of addi-
tional sub-nurseries; 8, the extension
OF experimental planting; 4, the plant
ing of more government land; 5, the
continuation and extension Of the
policies OF the division with respect
to protection Of forests from fire and
the giving Of adytce and assistance
to owners Of foress land.
Reference is made to the employ
ment Of Prof Silyestri OF Italy to go
to Africa In search OF q parasite of
the Mediterranean fruit fly-in which
later reports show that he has been
successful X Is recommended,
as financial assistance from the fed
eral government cannot be promised
indefinitely, that special appropria-
ton be made tof continuing the ffuitl
fly control work during the biennial
period.
For the division OF animal industry
there are recommendations made that
every facility be provided for the
continued effective exclusion OF ami
NAL scourges from the mainland, that
provision be made to enable the d.
vision completely to eradicate gladers
from the territory, that the bovine
tuberculosis work be extended to
cover the entire territory, that the 4
recommendations of the milk commits
sion of 1911 be carried out and that
the live stock sanitary service out
side the city and county of Honolulu
be permanently established and regu,
lated.
An appendix to the report contains
In full paper read by Walter M
Giffard, president of the board, befor
the joint committee Of the board and
the sugar planters association on
forestry.
Report on. Forestry
Reports Of divisions for the bien-
NAL period are also appended. That
Of r. s. Hosmer superintendent OF
forestry, makes an elaborate argu-
ment for the continuation and extern
sion of forestry work upon the motto
Save the forests; store the floods
He says that "the means for doing
what is required can be had by de-
voting to forest purposes. especially
TO forest protection, a portion of the
revenues now derived from the water
right leases and licenses in the exist
ing forest reserves. Upward Of $67,.
600 per annum is now derived by the
territory from this source A part of
this money ought to be reinvested in
the forest as revolving fund, which
in the end would pay back tho
amount so invested, with good inter
est"
Having made strong plea for In
creased attention to forest reserves
describing what is needed, Mr.. Hos
mer says: "That we are yet very far
in Hawaii, from the realization of thi
ideal is unfortunately true Tech
Ideally. to be sure, forest reserves
lave been set apart on each of tn,
larger islands. Practically. only few
OF those created are receiving the care
necessary to keep them in the condi
tion in which they should be main
tanned for the good of all concerned.
The assistance given by the corpora
tions is acknowledged, but the super
intendent tells of various things lack
ing in the proper care of the reserved
forests.
An interesting report of the consult
ing botanist, J. F. Black. is appended
To the forestry report, showing a grea
deal of work done In plant inVestiga