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this upper section with the provision that a fence be built along 

 the top of the Koa forest. This area separates two lands con- 

 trolled by Mr. Maguire, and is of value to him as a connecting 

 link. Mr. Maguire has expressed his willingness to be a bidder 

 for the land on the terms named. This takes care of fencing 

 three sides of the reserve. On the fourth, the south side, it ad- 

 joins Puaa I, a narrow strip now belonging to the Bishop Estate. 

 I am in communication with Mr. Dodge and Mr. Maguire, who 

 owns the land beyond, in regard to the matter and think that 

 it can be arranged by utilizing existing fences, to enclose this 

 side at a very small cost. 



While I do not approve of the policy of this Board agreeing 

 to build and maintain the fences around the forest reserves, I do 

 believe that this case is a justifiable exception. As has been 

 pointed out Honuaula is a legacy from a former administration, 

 which came to the Board outside of the regular channels. After 

 several attempts and much labor a workable solution has been 

 arrived at. By the construction of about two miles of fence — 

 the wire for which is already in hand — there can be secured as a 

 reserve an area of valuable forest containing what is, so far as I 

 know, the best stand of large sized Koa on any government 

 land in the Territory ; almost as large an area, in fact, as was 

 to have been secured by the ten miles of fencing authorized last 

 summer. 



Therefore in view of the benefit to the district from the con- 

 tinuance of a forest belt on the mountain, of the danger which 

 results when a forest like that on Honuaula is subjected to graz- 

 ing, and especially because of the increasing market value of Koa 

 and the development of Koa lumbering on Hawaii, — which will, 

 I trust, in time lead to the proper utilization of this forest, — I 

 recommend that the Board approve the action taken by me and 

 further that it recommend to the Governor the reservation of the 

 area as a forest reserve. 



The technical description of the area will be submitted in a 

 supplementary report, one or two points in the new boundary 

 having yet to be fixed. This will be done within a short time 

 by Mr. F. E. Harvey of the Survey Office, who expects to visit 

 Kona for this and other work on January 19, 1906. 

 Very respectfully, 



Ralph S. Hosmer, 

 Superintendent of Forestry. 



