14 



There are a number of trees grown on the Islands which yield 

 good fuel wood, notably the iron woods (Casuarina), the black 

 wattle (Acacia decurrens), and silk oak (Grevillea robusta). 

 Many of the eucalypts, however, are superior to the above-men- 

 tioned trees not only in their actual fuel value but also because 

 they can grow in places and at elevations where the other trees 

 can not thrive, and especially because of the ease with which the 

 eucalypts reproduce themselves by sprouts, or ratoons. With 

 a reasonable amount of care in cutting down the trees, one plant- 

 ing of Eucalyptus should suffice for an indefinite number of 

 crops of fuel wood, while with many other trees it may be neces- 

 sary to replant the area each time the trees are cut. Further- 

 more, in a properly-grown Eucalyptus forest, the fuel wood may 

 be obtained as a by-product by thinning out the main stand, or 

 from the tops and branches of trees cut for more useful pur- 

 poses, such as poles, lumber, etc., while in many of the other 

 trees planted, fuel wood is the main crop. If for no other rea- 

 son than its rapid rate of growth, Eucalyptus should receive 

 favorable attention as a fuel wood. 



Of the more common eucalypts the following four species are 

 considered of high fuel value: Red box (E. polyanthemos), 

 leather jacket (E. punctata), red gum (E. rostrata), and red 

 ironbark (E. sideroxylon). The common species of Eucalyptus 

 planted in Hawaii, namely, blue gum (E. globulus), swamp 

 mahogany (E. robusta), red mahogany (E. resinifera), and 

 lemon-scented gum (E. citriodora), though all furnishing good 

 fuel wood, are inferior in this respect to the eucalypts mentioned 

 above. In all cases the heartwood is of higher fuel value 

 than the sapwood, and for this reason young trees, which have 

 a high per cent, of sap, yield but indifferent firewood. 



Fence Posts and Ties. 



Next to the need for fuel the greatest need for wood on the 

 Islands is for fence posts and ties. A considerable proportion 

 of the fence posts and almost all the railroad ties used in the 

 Territory are at present imported from the coast, at a cost aver- 

 aging about 30 cents per post and 60 to 75 cents per tie. There 

 is no reason why the demand for this material should not be 

 supplied locally. Many of the eucalypts, because of the great 

 durability of their wood when in contact with the soil, are well 

 suited for ties and posts. The following species deserve especial 

 attention in this respect: White mahogany (E. acmenoides), 

 blood wood (E. corymbosa), Victoria gum (E. leucoxylon), 



