105 



niulti])Hecl ami in llie course of a month or two it was possible to 

 liberate larg-e lots in suitable localities. This artificial propaga- 

 tion has continued to the present date and thousands of the para- 

 sites have been sent out to every locality in the islands where 

 melons are grown. By August, 1916, the ])arasite was recovered 

 from fruit gathered in Honolulu gardens, and we were soon as- 

 sured of the success of the introduction. At the present time 

 the parasite accounts for the destruction of 50 per cent, of the 

 melon-fly infesting our fruit, as ascertained from rearing para- 

 sites and flies from different localities in the islands, and in some 

 localities it is again possible to grow melons successfully. 



Division of Forestry 



Honolulu, Hawaii, February 29, 1920. 



Board of Commissioners of Agriculture and Forestry, Honolulu. 



Gentlemen: — I respectfully submit the following routine report of the 

 Division of Forestry for the month of February, 1920: 



TREE PLANTING. 



Weather conditions remained rather dry during the month so that this 

 work was contined largely to the making of holes for the planting of 

 trees later on. A few showers, however, made possible the planting 

 of 555 red gum trees along the newdy constructed fence at Kuliouou, 216 

 koa trees in Makiki, and 140 Japanese cedar and 350 Norfolk Island 

 pine trees at Waiahole, making a total of 1261 trees planted during the 

 month. To the Waiahole Nursery 2000 Australian red cedar seed- 

 lings and to the Mikilau Nursery 6000 seedlings of the same species were 

 delivered for transplanting and holding uiitil tliey are large enough to 

 be planted out. 



A shipment of 14 kauri pine seedlings, packed in moss without soil, 

 was made by mail to Makawao, Maui, and reached the destination in 

 excellent condition. 



FOREST FIRE. 



In spite of the very dry condition of the forests, due to the lack of 

 rainfall, only one forest fire was reported during the month. This oc- 

 curred on February 12 in the Kohala Mt. Forest Reserve, Hawaii, on 

 government land in Pololou Gulch. It was started by a small boy 

 making a fire in the bottom of the gulch. The fire spread to the under- 

 growth on the west side of the gulch and traveled very rapidly towards 

 the mountains, threatening th^ cane fields of the Niulii Mill and Planta- 

 tion. Laborers under the direction of Manager J. A. McLennan 

 promptly rushed to the scene and fighting the fire from 8 a. m. to 4 p. m. 

 succeeded in extinguishing it before it had done any considerable dam- 

 age. 



Early in the month warnings were sent out througli the medium of 

 the press cautioning everyone to be careful and not to start any fires 

 on account of the inflammable condition of the woods. 



