295 



been constructed and LS miles of old fences have been repaired, 

 making a total of 60 miles of forest reserve boundary made im- 

 passable to stock. This work is progressing as rapidly as funds 

 and opportunity permit. The repairing of existing fences and 

 keeping them in stock-proof condition is just as important as the 

 construction of new fences on forest reserve boundaries. 



Exclusion of Stock. 



The laws of Hawaii prescribe, among other things relating to 

 forestry, that it is the duty of the Board of Agriculture and For- 

 estry "to secure as speedily as possible, either by private coopera- 

 tion or by public appropriation, the erection and maintenance of 

 fences to exclude live stock from forest reservations, and the 

 removal from such reservations of the live stock running thereon, 

 including the killing the same, if necessary." To this the last 

 legislature added : 



"When branded wild cattle are found on any such forest land 

 in the Territory, which land is fenced and duly set apart and 

 established as a forest reservation, the owner or lessee of such 

 land, if such land be privately owned, and the agents of the 

 Board of Agriculture and Forestry, in all cases where the land 

 is so set apart and established as a forest reservation, whether 

 from privately owned lands or public lands, may remove, shoot, 

 or destroy such cattle without compensation to the owner, after 

 sixty days' public notice, ten insertions, of such intended action 

 has been given by publication in a newspaper of general circula- 

 tion in the county or city and county where such cattle are 

 found." 



Much has been accomplished toward the exclusion of stock 

 from the reserves and it is likely that this latest provision will 

 soon be put into eiTect. From May 1917 to date, the period 

 during which records have been kept, there have been removed 

 from or killed on forest reservations by those holding hunting 

 permits from the Superintendent of Forestry, a total of 1,097 

 wild animals, which include 233 goats, 311 cattle, and SSZ pigs. 

 This is only a portion of the number actually removed, for it is 

 difficult to get all hunters to report their bags. 



The removal of cattle from the reserves is usually left to the 

 adjacent ranchers, for they often have some claim to their 

 original ownership and are also better equipped for the purpose. 



Forest Extension. 



The most important and chief forest work in this Territory is, 

 tlierefore, forest protection, giving the native forest absolute pro- 

 tection by preventing damage caused by man and beast. When 

 all of our protection forests are properly fenced and further 

 inroads of stock have been prevented we shall have advanced 

 a long way toward the desired end. Your cooperation in report- 



