62 



As it is now, somewhat over half of the entire area of Kahoo- 

 lawe is absolutely destitute of all vegetation, the result of erosion 

 by wind that since the cover of grass and other herbage was 

 broken, has gone on with increasing destructiveness for many 

 years. The process has now gone so far as to m'ake efforts at 

 reclamation extremely difficult. The problem presented, if it is 

 possible to do anything at all, is to put back a cover of some sort 

 of vegetation. Then to improve its condition. And so, eventual- 

 ly, to restore the island to a condition of productivity. The ques- 

 tion is much more one of establishing soil binding plants than of 

 tree planting, though of course windbreaks will have their place. 



For some time now there have been no cattle on Kahoolawe. 

 A few sheep yet remain and there is also a band of wild goats. 

 The first move is, of course, to get rid of these animals. In ter- 

 minating the old lease an arrangement was made to drive and 

 kill a part of the goats. 



Over perhaps a third of Kahoolawe is good pili grass and a 

 scattering growth of Algaroba trees. This forest is spreading 

 slowly but the process ought to be helped along. 



Owing to the fact that no funds were provided by the Legis- 

 lature for such work, no further attempt than the above men- 

 tioned action has as yet been made to undertake active work in 

 the reclamation of Kahoolawe. Conditions have for a long time 

 now been so bad over a large part of the island that it makes the 

 outlay of any considerable amount of money on the barren por- 

 tion partake of the character of a somewhat doubtful speculation. 

 But it can be said that on the section of the lower lands where 

 Algaroba is already growing, the stand should be extended. The 

 trees are spreading naturally but if the process could be hastened 

 it would be that much better. Were it found possible to devise 

 some practicable but v^ry inexpensive way in which assistance 

 of this kind could be given, the matter would at least be worth 

 considering. 



FOREST PLANTING. 



During the past two years especial efforts have been made by 

 the Division of Forestry to push work in forest planting, both 

 on Government land and by corporations on their own, fee simple 

 property. The reasons for this are plain. In Hawaii the native 

 trees do not yield wood suitable for structural purposes. Fur- 

 thermore, in many of the districts where wood is most needed, 

 the native forest has already been pushed back as far as or 

 farther than is safe from a water protection standpoint. Conse- 

 quently there, even the cutting of fire wood is, or should be, tabu. 



On the other hand the demand for wood for all sorts of uses 

 is constantly on the increase. Large quantities of lumber are 



