THE GOVERNMENT'S INTEREST. 25 



forested land to great advantage, namely, the ranchmen. Some of 

 the very lands whose protection is of vital importance to the sugar 

 plantations are excellent grazing lands, and greatly needed by the 

 ranchmen who use them. And yet the line of personal interest is not 

 so clearly drawn as may be imagined. Many of the ranchmen are also 

 largely interested in the sugar plantations, and while they may be 

 reluctant to give over for forest purposes some of their grazing lands, 

 their other interests lead them to favor strongly, for the islands as a 

 whole, a policy of forest protection. Even the ranchmen who are not 

 concerned financially in sugar production, while not of course for- 

 getting their private interests, are inclined to take a broad view of the 

 situation. They realize that the development of the sugar industry 

 means the development of the whole Territory, and consequently 

 increased and stable markets for their own products. Indeed the 

 ranchmen as a rule take a most reasonable attitude on the question. 



It is fortunate indeed that there is no general clashing of interests on 

 the question of forest protection. In the local cases, where general 

 welfare apparently opposes individual interests, a reasonable adminis- 

 tration will in almost every instance be able to give entire satisfaction 

 by the exchange of lands held either by leasehold or in fee simple. 



THE GOVERNMENT'S INTEREST. 



The government's course is plainly to seek such management of the 

 forests as will secure the greatest productiveness of the commercial 

 interests concerned. The plantations need an increased and regular 

 water supply. Therefore, the forests must be protected in order to 

 give it. But the system of protection must not be extended so far that 

 its damage to the ranches will outweigh its benefits to the plantations. 

 Each local problem will have to be worked out fairly and squarely, 

 with due consideration of all the interests at stake. 



GOVERNMENT FOREST WORK IN THE PAST. 



Hitherto the government has given attention principally to the 

 question of forest planting rather than to the preservation of the native 

 forests. In 1882 an appropriation of $12,000 was made for forest 

 work for the biennial period; later legislatures have continued this 

 appropriation. A nursery was established and many trees have since 

 been grown, some of which have been distributed for planting on pri- 

 vate lands, some of which the government itself has planted. 



As a result of the government's planting then- has been developed 

 on the slopes of Mount Tantalus, facing Honolulu, a fine forest of 

 eucalypts and other trees, covering several hundred acres. More 

 recently a considerable part of the Nuuana Valley, which forms the 



