269 



benefit from the forest reserve requires that the forest line be 

 fenced, except where there are natural barriers all along its course. 

 On the few lands that belong to the Government, provision for 

 fencing can be made when the lower end of the land comes again 

 to be leased. This has already been done in the case of a couplc 

 of Government leases. Similar action will probably be taken by 

 the Bishop Estate. Some of the other private owners would be 

 willing to fence oflf their upper lands, but are miable to do so 

 because of the expense. Under the circumstances about all that 

 can be done just now is to point out where the line ought to be 

 and lend what encouragement is possible to the construction of 

 various stretches of the fence from time to time. 



Owing to the configuration of the slope the line to be fenced 

 consists for the most part of comparatively short stretches of 

 fence, across ridges, between the impassable sides of gulches. 



It is proper here to recall that at the time of the building of the 

 Molokai Ranch forest fence, from 1898 to 1900, considerable, 

 money was spent by the ]\Iolokai Ranch Company in killing off 

 the deer* and in getting out wild cattle that were then at large in 

 the woods. In recent years enough deer hunting has been don'j 

 practically to keep pace with the yearly increase. Deer are also 

 found, and hunted, on the forest lands at the east end of the island. 



In this connection, in view of the damage liable to result to the 

 native forest from deer, the Territorial Government is on record 

 as holding that in Hawaii deer are to be considered as being in 

 the sam.e class with goats, animals to be regarded as pests to be 

 got rid of. 



There are several large bands of goats on Molokai. The Molo- 

 kai Ranch Company has lately had several systematic goat drives 

 and is using other means to clear their mountain lands of this 

 enemy of the forest. By these efforts the bands are gradually 

 being reduced in number, but it is work that ought steadily to be 

 continued until the goats are exterminated. 



It should also be noted here that for the purpose of bettering 

 the water holding condition of the catchment basin, forest planting 

 is now being done by the Molokai Ranch Company on the moun- 

 tain, at Maunahu'i, near Kahahui, on the land of JCaunakakai. 

 In many places above the forest fence the native vegetation is 

 coming back naturally. There it was felt to be desirable to expe- 

 dite matters by artificial planting. 



RF.COM MEXDATIOXS. 



For the reasons set forth in the foregoing pages I do now 

 recomm.end that the Board of Agriculture and Forestry request 

 the Governor of the Territory, in accordance with the usual pro- 

 cedure, to create a forest reserve on the Island of Molokai, to be 



* Introduced from the Orient and turned loose on Molokai during the 

 reign of King Kamehameha Y, in the late sixties. 



