186 
posed flats where adverse soil conditions,* excessive moisture, 
and the opening of the forest by grazing and ditch construction 
had reduced tlie normal vigor of the forest cover to a point where 
it was unable to withstand any further increase of unfavorable 
conditions. It is therefore probable that heavy wands may be 
regarded as the immediate cause of the death of the forest. 
A close examination of the affected areas shows a return of 
all elements of the original cover. Herbaceous and shrubby 
plants are coming in rapidly and the trees very slowly. In the 
virgin forest beyond the principal tract of dead timber are older 
areas where the trees have been killed, probably by a similar com- 
bination of adverse conditions. These older areas are in various 
stages of return to normal forest cover. 
It is believed that the dying of the forest in this region is not a 
new and dangerous condition liable to spread rapidly, and cause 
a complete destruction of the water bearing forest, but that since 
the first establishment of forests on the bare volcanic slopes they 
have been subject to injury by wind and that certain areas where 
conditions were least favorable to tree growth have been periodi- 
cally denuded. 
Abnormal conditions, due to the interference by men and graz- 
ing animals wath the normal forest cover, have accentuated the 
already extremely unfavorable conditions and made it possible 
for the wdnds to devastate larger areas than formerly. 
It is believed that if in the future proper precautions are taken 
to prevent the opening of the forest, and especially if a certain 
amount of planting for windbreak purposes be undertaken, the 
damage from winds may be reduced to a comparatively small area 
and the forest cover extended and improved very materially. 
The object of windbreaks is not so much to prevent the throwing 
of the trees as to make possible better leaf development. With 
this protection the forest, even if shallow rooted, may reasonably 
be expected to re-establish itself. 
RECOMMENDATIONS. 
It is further recommended that the entire windward forest area 
on Mt. Haleakala be organized into a single property under a 
technically trained forester and his necessary assistants, and that 
20% of the gross revenues derived from the property for water 
and other rights be expended annually for its protection and im- 
provement. 
* Dr. H. L. Lyon (see The Hawaiian Planters' Record, Vol. I, Nos. 3 
and 4, 1909) places the adverse soil condition as the principal cause 
of the trouble. In my opinion the condition of the soil should occupy a 
secondary place. The extended investigati'on of the different members 
of the Hawaiian Sugar Planters' Expenment Station force entitle their 
opinion to greater weight than my own investigation made in a few days 
and long after the dying of the forests. , 
