187 



FENCE WIRE. 



On May 15, a call was issued for bids for furnishing 520 coils 

 of No. 6 gauge American special extra heavy-coated galvanized 

 fence wire, bids to be opened early in June. This \vas the kind 

 of wire found after inquiry to be the most durable wire available 

 and decided upon with the Commissioners who were in town as 

 being the best to use in our forest reserve fencing. 



FOREST FIRE NEAR IIILO. 



On March 29, 1915, a fire started on the Government leased 

 land of Piihonua. near Hilo, Hawaii, and raging for four days 

 before it was extinguished by men working under the direction 

 of District Fire Warden John A. Scott, endangered cane fields 

 and burned over some 200 acres of pasture and forest land be- 

 longing to the Hawaiian Evangelical Association, Lyman Estate, 

 Hilo Sugar Co., and Ponahawai Coflfee Co. It was started by a 

 native who was burning brush when a strong wind came up and 

 scattered the fire in spite of his efforts to control it. The fire did 

 not reach within more than a mile of the Hilo Forest Reserve. 



TRIP TO MOLOKAI. 



The last six days of ]\Iay and a few days in June were spent 

 on the Island of ]\Iolokai becoming acquainted with the condition 

 of the forest reserve on that island. Most of the western end of 

 the reserve on the leeward side of the island or all of the lands 

 under the control of the American Sugar Co. in the reserve were 

 fenced about 16 years ago and the results of keeping out the 

 cattle and reducing the number of Vvdld deer and goats are already 

 most gratifying. Where the former damage was not unusually 

 severe the native forest consisting mostly of Ohia lehua is com- 

 ing back naturally in a profuse manner. Swamps that were for- 

 merly drying up on account of the damage to the forest are be- 

 coming very wet again and will soon be impenetrable on account 

 of the bog and new forest growth. These good results are a 

 strong argument in favor of the protection of our native forests. 

 Where previous damage was excessive in this part of the reserve 

 tree planting to a certain extent has been done by the American 

 Sugar Co.. with excellent results. 



The conditions on the leeward side of this reserve further to 

 the east, where verv little government land is involved, are some- 

 what different. Here the country is more broken up by steep 

 gulches and although there is practically no fencing along the 

 forest reserve boundary, in only a few places on private lands 

 have cattle gotvCii into the woods I'heie a'-e no wild o-oats in 

 this region. The majority of the lands here are privately owned 



