230 



secure the full benefits to be derived from the protection of the 

 forest it must be followed up by systematic administration of the 

 reserves, such as can only be secured by a forest ranger service. 

 The immediate forest problem in Hawaii and the next step in the 

 progress of forestry in this Territory is to get an effective field 

 organization established and in working order. 



"In large measure the bovmdaries of the forest reserves either 

 consist of natural barriers or are fenced. Some of the fences 

 are maintained under the requirements of government leases, 

 some have been built and are maintained at government expense, 

 and some are kept up voluntarily by corporations or private own- 

 ers. The more important corners of a number of the forest re- 

 serves have been marked with metal monuments. All the forest 

 reserve boundaries ought to be so defined. 



"During the past two years the government has constructed a 

 number of new fences. Several other stretches of fence required 

 under leases have also recently been completed, and some other 

 lines of forest fence have been erected at private cost. The gen- 

 eral attitude of the public in regard to the protection of the 

 forest has undergone a marked change in the past decade. While 

 there is still more or less trespass going on on each island, the 

 best sentiment is now strongly against it, rather than being 

 hostile or indifferent as was the case previously. 



"Tn a few of the reserves the forest is still being damaged by 

 wild cattle and by goats, but in the last few years a very marked 

 improvement has been effected on each of the larger islands in 

 controlling this form of injury. 



TREE PLANTING ENCOUR.\GED. 



"The second main line of endeavor pursued by the division of 

 forestry since 1904 has been the encouragement of tree planting. 

 This the department has sought to do by supplying technical 

 advice to all who desired it as to methods and means of nursery 

 and tree-planting w^ork, but fiu-nishing free or at cost price tree 

 seedlings of various species, and by a general campaign of edu- 

 cation as to the desirability of establishing blocks of planted ft)rest 

 from the standpoints of commercial return, watershed iirolection 

 or aesthetic considerations. 



"Tree planting has been practiced in llawaii both by the gov- 

 ernment and by private individuals and corporations for 30 years 

 or more, but in the past few years there has been a marked in- 

 crease in the numl)er of trees set out and a much better under- 

 standing of the necessity for such work tlian at any time l)efore. 

 The doctrine of using for tree planting non-agricultural land on 

 the sugar plantations that otherwise would be classed as waste 

 area has been ])ersistciitl\' iJicaclnd, until it i>- now generalK' ac- 



