277 



The establishment of a forest on the upper slopes in Kula must 

 necessarily be a slow matter, but with the land set apart and de- 

 voted to this purpose steady gains can be made. 



There are two reasons why this slope of Haleakala should be 

 devoted to forestry. First, because although most of this area 

 cannot profitably be used for agriculture, a large part of it can 

 loe made to grow economically valuable trees. This in itself is 

 sufficient justification of its reservation, but to it may be added 

 the second reason, the possible influence which a forest cover 

 might exert on the local climate. 



At present we have so little exact knowledge about this latter 

 subject that generalizations are most unsafe, but it does appear 

 that if an appreciable influence on precipitation can be effected 

 anywhere by a body of forest, Kula is one of the likely places. 

 If then, incidental to tangible and direct benefits through wood 

 production, this influence can also be brought to bear, it is worth 

 considering. Briefly the facts are as follows : 



Kula is unfortunate in the scarcity of its natural supplies of 

 water. Between the battery of small springs at Polipoli and the 

 Waihou Spring on the boundary of the government land of Maka- 

 wao, on the Blaleakala Ranch, 10 miles or more distant, there is. 

 save for the intermittent flow from a tunnel constructed by Mrs. 

 Dora von Tempsky above Erehwon, no living water anywhere in 

 the District. The local w^ater situation as regards domestic supply 

 has, of course, been relieved in the last two years by the con- 

 struction of the Kula pipe line, but that does not change the lack 

 of local sources of supply. Moreover, from the steepness of the 

 slope it is difficult if not prohibitively expensive to store the storm 

 waters that now run to waste down the larger gulches, not infre- 

 quently doing damage along their course. Incidentally, another 

 advantage to be gained by a forest cover on the upper slopes is 

 that thereby the run off after storms would be somewhat held 

 back and the danger of erosion lessened. 



As to possible influence of a forest on precipitation , the moisture 

 bearing clouds that bring rain to the Kula District are of two 

 kinds : ( 1 ) the trade wind clouds that pour over the Kahikinui 

 Ridge, and (2) and probably more important, the Naulu clouds 

 that, forming out of a clear sky over the island and channel of 

 Kahoolawe, drift in and collect on the Kula side of the Hale- 

 akala Ridge from above Ulupalakua over to and beyond a point 

 above Er(?hwon. Just how heavily laden with moisture these 

 Naulu clouds are is a point on which opinions differ but in general 

 I understand that there is frequently, if not usually, sufficient 

 moisture so that water will condense on a rough- woolen coat or on 

 a man's beard. During seasons of continuous drought, however, 

 hke 1008 or the present year, the Naulu clouds seem to afford no 

 relief to the lower lands. 



The argument put forth in favor of a forest cover in this con- 

 nection is that were a large enough stand of forest present the 



