Owing to overstocking w ith cattle in the past and the presence 

 of wild goats on the ridges the forest cover on these lands has 

 been practically destroyed. Ct roups of kuknis and other trees 

 are found in the upper parts of the gulches and scattering in- 

 dividuals occur on the slopes, but for the most part the forest 

 has disappeared. Only a moderate number of cattle is now pas- 

 tured on the land and the goats are said to be less in evidence 

 now then they were some years ago, before there was so much 

 hunting as at present. Judging from the young trees that are 

 coming up, the forest would again appear on the lower slopes, 

 were the cattle excluded and the goats killed off. 



The gulch beds show that at present the greater part of the 

 rain that falls during times of heavy precipitation rushes to the 

 sea as flood water. While the rainfall is not constant enough nor 

 the catchment basin large enough to permit of permanent streams, 

 a forest cover would undoubtedly help matters by retarding the 

 run of¥ and m.aking available for use at least a part of the water 

 that is now lost in floods. It would appear also that the existing 

 springs would have a larger flow were the slopes from which 

 thev are fed covered wilh vegetation. 



The proposition on these lands then, is to fix a line above 

 which the slopes ought to be brought under and kept perma- 

 nently in forest. But before making definite recommendations 

 one or two points have yet to be touched on, as they affect the 

 location of the line by making it desirable to bring it a little lower 

 down than might at first seem necessary. 



Above the gently sloping land and below the steep upper slopes 

 is a section too steep to be good grazing land, yet not steep enough 

 to prevent cattle from working on it. This area should, in my 

 judgment, be included in the forest reserve. It is just here that 

 a forest cover would be of value, for this section is particularly 

 subject to erosion, which if continued leads to the undermining 

 of the steep slopes above and the consequent washing down of 

 rock and debris onto the good land below. This is the section 

 where the springs break out and furthermore, in the places where 

 fencing is required the cost of construction would be materially 

 lessened bv building just below rather than across it, for this 

 section is much cut up by small gulches. 



It IS true that there are now one or tw^o small flats above the 

 proposed line, especially at the head of Keaau, but if erosion goes 

 on at its present rate tliese will soon disappear. In Keaau valley 



