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very excellent hedge plant, because of its slow but persistent 

 growth, stiff branches, bright green glossy leaves and fragrant 

 blossoms. 'i1ie latter, however, last for only about one week 

 on the tree. 



The tree in nature is usually found among rocks in very dry 

 and sterile situations, and will stand any amount of exposure to 

 strong winds. Very often it is the only arborescent growth 

 found in dry localities. It comes up on desert lava flows and 

 seems capable of spreading naturally on areas which are con- 

 stantly pastured with stock. The shining dark green foliage 

 of the alahee lends a pleasing contrast to the straw colored ex- 

 jKuises of desiccated pili grass and to the gray hues of lichen 

 covered rocks. 



( )n account of its slow growth the alahee produces a wood 

 which is not only heavy, hard and close grained, but is very tough 

 and durable. It is of a light cream color and takes a very fine 

 polish. On account of these excellent qualities the wood of 

 the alahee was used by the ancient Hawaiians for two purposes. 

 Out of it they made their implement for tilling the soil in the 

 form of an "o-o," a digger or narrow spade. Fornander's col- 

 lection of Hawaiian folk-lore contains the following: 



"Holo ka 0-0 alahee a ka mahiai." 

 Speedy is the alahee digg-er of the cultivator. 



The other and most remarkable use made of the alahee wood 

 was its conversion into the cutting blade of an adze. The Ha- 

 waiians made their axes, hatchets and pocket knives usually 

 from the dark, heavy, close-grained basaltic stone, but occasion- 

 ally, when the hard lava rock was not available, they used a sea 

 shell, the ole, and the very hard wood of the alahee. The Ha- 

 waiians had the following saying: 



"O ka ole ke koi o kai, 

 O ke alahee ke koi o uka." 

 The ole is the ax of the shore. 

 The alahee is the ax of the inland. 



Adzes made of the alahee were naturally not equal to the stone 

 axes, but were useful in cutting the softer woods, such as hala- 

 ])epe, wili-wili, and kukui. 



