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CONGRESSIONAL VEGETABLE SEED. 



A shipment of (iOOO packages of vegetable seed from the U. S. De- 

 partment of Agriculture was received on May I'A, through arrange- 

 ments made by our Delegate to Congress, Hon. J. K. Kalanianaole. These 

 are greatly in demand this year and are being distributed to applicants 

 throughout the Territory. 



FOREST FIRES. 



The condition of the forest in some parts of the Territory continues 

 to constitute a fire menace on account of the absence of the usual rain- 

 fall and it was deemed necessary as a precaution on May 3, to issue a 

 notice under the provisions of Sec. 497, R. L. H. 1915, requiring per- 

 mits to start fires to clear land for a period of eight months. 



The following three fires, which were promptly put under control 

 by Fire Wardens, were reported during the month: 



May 1. Woodlawn, Manoa Valley, Honolulu. A fire built to clear 

 land for the planting of pineapples jumped the fire guard at 3 p. m., 

 and burned over about 10 acres of grass and ferns on the side of a hill. 

 It was extinguished in 2^/^ hours by local men and officers from the 

 Government Nursery. 



May 1. Waiakea, Hawaii. A fire started from a cane trash fire and 

 burned over about 300 acres of mostly grass, brush, and young ohia 

 trees on the Richardson land on the 1880 flow near Hilo. Very little 

 of the old forest was touched, and it was extinguished the next day by 

 men working under Fire Wlarden James Henderson and Ranger Mac- 

 Kenzie. 



M;ay 27. The first fire in 16 years in the Koolau Forest: Reserve, 

 Maui, started at 3:30 p.m ., at Nahiku between Kapaula and Waiohue 

 gulches, but was put under control by 7 p. m. the same day by men 

 working under Fire Warden W. F. Pogue. Above the ditch it burned 

 over 20 acres of forest in the reserve and below the ditch, outside of 

 the reserve it burned over 175 acres. 



* FIELD TRIPS. 



Considerable time was spent with President Atkinson in going over 

 forestry matter;- in the office and on May 20 I accompanied him on an 

 inspection trip through the Tantalus forest and on Miay 27 on an in- 

 spection of forest reserve matters in Waianae Valley, when the new 

 Forest Ranger Mr. J. P. Pico was installed. 



FOREST RESERVE HEARING. 



The Governor has set Wednesday, June 9, as the date for the hearing 

 to consider the proposed changes in forest reserves recently passed upon 

 by the Board. The hearing will take place at the Government Nur- 

 sery at 2 p. m., and will be follow^ed at 2:30 p. m. by a hearing to 

 consider arguments for or against the adoption of Rule 5 of the Di- 

 vision of Forestry, which proposes to prohibit tramping on the higher 

 slopes of Manoa and Palolo Valleys in the interest of forest protection. 



Respectfully submitted. 



C. S. JUDD, 

 Superintendent of Forestry. 



