37 
Whether this susceptibiHty is due to the fact that the forest 
is very ancient is a point for conjecture. That the Hawaiian 
forest is ancient is attested by recent scientific treatises. Rock 
in ''A Monographic Study of the Hawaiian Species of the Tribe 
LobeHoideae, Family Campanulaceae (Bishop Museum, 1919), 
states that because of the numerous species of lobelia plants ( 149 
species, varieties, and forms), their distribution over the whole 
group, and of a highly developed fauna dependent upon thern, 
their age is enormous and that these facts indicate a very ancient 
occupation of this group of islands by their immigrant ancestors. 
This occupation has been so ancient, in fact, during the time that 
the allied genera and numerous species have been evolved that 
their immigrant ancestors cannot now be recognized. Beccari 
in ''A Monographic Study of the Genus Pritchardia," (Bishop 
Museum, 1921), points out the antiquity of our native loulu 
palms, one of which is the same as that found in Cuba, and most 
of which are usually found as isolated trees in most inaccessible 
places such as steep cliflfs exposed to terrific winds, or may be 
seen waving the crown of their leaves against the sky on the 
crests of the most inaccessible ridges. 
The forest on the Palolo-Manoa Drainage Reservation cover- 
ed by Rule V contains both these lobelias and Pritchardia palms 
which indicate without a doubt its great age. 
The fact remains, that the balance of nature in the native 
forest on the Palolo-Manoa Drainage Reservation is tilting in 
the wrong direction, and it is not difficult to forsee what the 
outcome will be unless radical steps are taken now. Without 
this forest on this particular area the rain that falls will rush to 
the sea in a few days in roaring torrents of muddy water which 
will gouge out the valleys and side gulches. To replace the 
forest would be a herculean task involving all the resources of 
scientific knowledge and huge sums of government money. 
The cheapest method in the end will be to do everything that 
can be done for the protection of the forest at the present time, 
to coax it along by every possible means, and gradually to replace 
it by the introduction of self-perpetuating and more vigorous 
forest components, a task covering a few centuries of time. 
In the meantime, what we can and must do is to prevent the 
further introduction into this forest of any unfavorable factors 
and this is one of the purposes of this rule. 
Damage to the Forest. 
At the lower edge of the Honolulu Watershed Forest Reserve, 
far below this area, the makai limits of the native forest have 
been pushed mauka in places by cattle grazing which has resulted 
in the disappearance of the forest growth. In addition to this, 
Hilo grass has kept up a relentless attack with detriment to the 
forest undergrowth. 
