232 



the terms of the forest fife law. A number of convictions have 

 been secured, especially during the past three or four years, 

 where fires had been allowed to escape through preventable care- 

 lessness. This action has had a salutary effect in certain sections 

 of the Territory where the danger from fire was high. 



"Very fortunately, Hawaii has suffered but little from forest 

 fires. But in the keward districts and in occasional dry years 

 even in those normally subject to heavy rainfall, the danger of 

 fire is always present. The time to make ready for fighting fire 

 is before it .starts. Hawaii is prepared. 



RECOMMENDATIONS. 



"Just how soon it will be possible to establish a regular service 

 of forest rangers, paid by and responsible solely to the Board of 

 Agriculture and Forestry, is a question of financial policy. But 

 until such a force of efficient men is organized to patrol the 

 reserves, prevent trespass, see that the fences are maintained, ex- 

 terminate the remaining wild stock in the forests, and prevent 

 forest fires, the Hawaiian forest reserve system will not be prop- 

 erly administered. This is now the first need in forestry in 

 Hawaii. 



"Next, the Territory is a long way yet from having enough 

 groves and plantations of trees of economically valuable species. 

 This is equally true of government and of privately-owned land. 

 Fuel supply in certain districts, fence posts, railroad ties, bridge 

 timbers and other lumber for rough work, to say nothing of con- 

 struction timber, will always be required in Hawaii. With the 

 diminishing wood supply on the mainland, the price of lumber 

 will certainly not recede. It may make considerable advances. 

 It has been demonstrated that there are trees well adapted to 

 local conditions that can supply at least part of the local demand. 

 It needs no argument to show the wisdom of establishing planta- 

 tions of such species on land that cannot profitably be used for 

 agriculture. 



FORE.ST FIRE .SERVICE ESSENTI.VL. 



"Along with the other forms of forest protection it is essential 

 that the 'i'erritory kee]) u]) an efficient forest fire service. It will 

 continue the duty of the division of forestry to see that the i)resent 

 forest fire organization is maintained, and when necessary ex- 

 panded. 



"There are, as well, many lines of forest investigation which it 

 should be the policy of the Board of Agriculture and h'orestry to 

 encourage. The introduction of species of trees new to the 

 Islands, the ex])erimental planting of temperate zone trees on the 

 high moimtains, and enough publicity and educational work so 



