66 
vate owners in South Kona are unwilling to turn the manage- 
ment of their lands over to the Government until a definite 
system of administration has been inaugurated. 
The accompanying table, compiled along with the technical 
description by Mr. Geo. F. Wrigh:, .when m the employ of 
the Territorial Survey Office, gives the ownership and area 
of the lands in the proposed reserve. 
The boundaries of the South Kona Forest Reserve have 
been so drawn as to include practically all the valuable forest 
still belonging to the Government in South Kona, with such 
private tracts of like character as lie between the strips of 
Government land. From a glance at the map showing Govern- 
ment holdings it will be seen that with the exception of one 
or two small pieces in the center of the district, the Govern- 
ment lands in Kona are pretty much together at the south 
end. But they are not in a continuous block, being instead 
a series of strips, alternating with other lands of varying 
width in private ownership. 
The main Governme,nt road in South Kona runs at an ele- 
vation of from 1200 to 1500 feet, gradually rising toward the 
south. The lower edge of the w^oods, which is also the upper 
line of the land that has been cleared for agriculture, is a little 
less than 2000 feet in elevation from Waiea to Kipahoehoe. 
On the latter and also on Kalanamauna and Manuka in Kau, 
the forest comes farther down. But these three last named 
lands are covered in large part by old aa flows, so that, ex- 
cept in kepukas of varying size where the soil is good, there 
is little agricultural land. The forest, principally of Ohia 
Lehua, grows on the aa flows. As much of it is of excellent 
quality, the makai line of the proposed reserve has been ^' 
brought down below the Government road to include these 
stands. 
The upper boundary of the reserve follows the boundary 
of the great land of Kahuku, which is in private ownership. 
The elevation varies from 5000 to 6000 feet. Above the bound- 
ary on Kahuku are a considerable number of groves of small 
sized Koa trees, and also an open stand of short and scrubby 
Ohia, that extends well up onto the slope of Alauna Loa. 
There is, however, little or no forest of commercial value on 
this portion of Kahuku, which is to be ranked as indifferent 
grazing land. 
The forest in the proposed South Kona Forest Reserve 
consists of two sharply-defined belts. From the lower bound- 
ary up to about 4000 feet, Ohia Lehua is the predominant 
tree, in mixture with others of the less important native 
species. In spots and strips, especially toward the south end 
of the district, usualy on old aa flows, are pure stands of Ohia, 
of good size and height and excellent quality. The trees in 
these stands are usually from 18 to 24 inches in diameter 
