THE FORESTS OF THE HAWAIIAN ISLANDS. 



There are two thoroughly distinct kinds of forest in the Hawaiian 

 Islands. One kind occurs near sea level, in the drier portions of the 

 islands, and is valuable on account of the timber and other products 

 which it 3 r ields. The other kind is found on the mountain slopes, 

 where the rainfall is heavy. It has little commercial but high pro- 

 tective value. In no case do the two forests meet. 



THE ALGAROBA FOBESTS. 



The forests which occur near sea level consist of a single species, 

 and this introduced. It is the mesquite of the southwestern United 

 States and Mexico (Prosopis julifiorci), and is called algaroba. The 

 first algaroba tree in Hawaii grew from a seed planted in 1837 by 

 Father Bachelot, founder of tho Roman Catholic mission. This tree, 

 which is about 2 feet in diameter and 50 feet tall, yet stands in thrifty 

 condition at the corner of Fort and Beretania streets, Honolulu. It is 

 the progenitor of at least 50,000 acres of forest, which is fairly well 

 distributed over the different islands. 



On the island of Oahu the algaroba forest, covering densely about 

 20,000 acres, extends in a narrow, almost continuous belt along the 

 south and west coasts. In this situation it is fully protected from the 

 northeast trade winds, which blow with great regularity from March 

 to November exposure to which it can not endure. The young trees 

 are now growing in great numbers as high as 1,500 feet above the sea. 

 It is supposed by some people that algaroba is able to grow at this eleva- 

 tion only by gradual adaptation. Starting at sea level, the trees were 

 at first acclimated only to an elevation of a few hundred feet, but 

 successive generations growing higher and higher up the slopes have 

 at last produced trees which are able to grow at the altitude named. 

 Indeed, since the trees now found at 1,500 feet are all young and 

 thrifty, it seems probable that they will extend much farther up the 

 mountain slopes than they have yet done. 



On the other islands the algaroba occupies the same relative position, 

 reaching up the dry slopes to an elevation of several hundred feet. 

 The land which it has taken possession of is usually so stony, arid, 

 and precipitous as to be utterly worthless for other purposes. There- 

 fore the advent of this tree is generally welcomed by the landowner. 



9 



