38 



of Hawaii, and today there are many abandoned trees in these 

 districts, marking the sites of once-populous Hawaiian villages. 

 The extensive breadfruit groves of Lahaina, on Maui, were long 

 famous for the excellence of their fruit. In humid valleys on 

 Molokai, Oahu, and Kauai the tree was also abundant, rearing 

 its splendid dome of glossy foliage high above the surrounding 

 vegetation. 



It is distinctly a tree of the valleys and lowlands in Hawaii, 

 and with the decadence of the Hawaiian population, and the 

 utilization of the fertile lowlands for sugar plantations, the 

 majority of these fine old trees were sacrificed to make way for 

 the white man's agriculture. 



As has just been intimated, a mature Uhi tree possesses great 

 beauty and dignity. As Melville states, "The bread-fruit tree, 

 in its glorious prime, is a grand and towering object, forming the 

 same feature in a Marquesan landscape that the patriarchal elm 

 does in New England scenery. The latter tree it not a little 

 resembles in height, in the wide spread of its stalwart branches, 

 and in its venerable and imposing aspect." Although slow of 

 growth, it eventually reaches a height of forty to sixty feet. The 

 trunk is about two feet in diameter, but occasionally, on very 

 old trees, measures three feet. It is normally quite straight and 

 smooth, and rises to half its height, or at least ten or fifteen feet 

 without a branch. The lower branches are the longest, and 

 spread horizontally; the upper branches curve gently and grace- 

 fully at the ends. The branches are soft and brittle and are easily 

 broken by the wind. Moreover, horses and cattle are very fond 

 of the leaves and bark, so that trees are frequently disfigured 

 through these agencies. These old, misshapen trees, that have 

 been neglected for years, are not uncommon in Hawaii, and give 

 the causal observer an entirely erroneous idea of the real .char- 

 acter of the tree. When uninjured, the tree forms a magnificent 

 high dome, casting a dense shade, and commanding attention 

 because of its striking and distinctive beauty. 



When growing in the soft moist soil which it prefers, the bread- 

 fruit roots shallowly and widely. Often a network of the exserted 

 roots is visible above the ground. This habit is of the greatest 



