lars. With the more intensive development of the plantations, 

 the increase in population, the development of irrigation sys- 

 tems, homesteads, and small farming, and the further exten- 

 sion of roads and power lines, the consumption of lumber will 

 constantly increase. The problem of finding an adequate source 

 of supply of wood becomes, therefore, of paramount importance 

 to the future growth of the country. 



The native Hawaiian forest is entirely inadequate to meet the 

 demand for lumber consumed in the Territory. Although the 

 Islands have an extremely rich and varied flora, there are few 

 native trees of commercial value. Few native trees average 

 more than 10 to 12 inches in diameter or more than 50 feet in 

 height, and the clear merchantable length of such trees is too 

 small to be of any practical use for lumber. A dozen or more 

 different species of native trees are used locally for various pur- 

 poses, but the ohia lehua (Metrosideros polymorpha) and the 

 koa (Acacia koa) are the only two timber trees in the Territory 

 which, because of their size and abundance, have any commercial 

 importance. Of these two species, koa is primarily a cabinet 

 wood, leaving ohia lehua as the only all-around native timber 

 tree ; and there is not enough of this tree to affect the situation 

 materially. With few exceptions the chief use of the native 

 forests is to conserve the water supply and regulate the stream 

 flow, and their importance as a source of timber supply, except 

 in a few restricted districts, is entirely negligible. 



The timber supply of the continental United States at the 

 present rate of consumption can not last for a long time. As 

 the supply of timber diminishes, export lumber from the United 

 States may be expected to reach practically prohibitive prices 

 for many uses. The trees native to the continental United States 

 are all of comparatively slow growth. The more valuable pines 

 and hardwoods require not less than 75 to 100 years to form 

 trees big enough for lumber. It takes at least 30 to 35 years to 

 grow tie timber, and even this rate of growth is restricted to 

 only a few species. The rapid-growing Eucalyptus can be 

 grown in the continental United States on only comparatively 

 small areas in central and southern California, Arizona, south- 

 ern Texas, and southern Florida. 



The Territoiy of Hawaii can not, therefore, depend indefi- 

 nitely on the rest of the United States for its supply of lumber. 

 Neither can it depend to any large extent on foreign countries. 

 On the contrary, located as the islands are, and with a climate 

 favorable to rapid growth, Hawaii, in course of time, should be 



