278 
of the country possessing- that supply. Oahu is ;i small island; Its pro- 
portion of forested mountains to agricultural lands is scarcely adequate 
to assure a sufficient water supply for the maximum development. The 
fact must be faced tliat our water needs are continually increasing, 
while by the curtailment of forest areas we are continually reducing 
our water producing power. It requires no great imagination to see 
that at no distant future time, by reason of the inevitable increase in 
population and increased development of every sort, we shall be using a 
vastly greater amount of water than we do today. 
Under these circumstances it is only the course of wisdom to place 
under protection such potential water producing areas as the proposed 
Honouliuli forest reserve. It is moreover important to do this as soon 
as possible because of the already considerable destruction of forest 
in that region through years of unrestricted grazing. The greater the 
loss of forest growth, the longer will be the time required for complete 
recovery of the forest, and hence the longer we shall have to wait for 
results in the form of actual water production. 
Just how rapidly the Honouliuli forest will recover naturally after 
it is protected depends upon the present condition of the various sites. 
In the north end, where cattle have been excluded for a number of years, 
koa groves are developing with surprising speed on exposed and barren 
ridges. Other growth is also increasing. There is no doubt that a 
great natural improvement in the forest will result within a very few 
years after the exclusion of cattle. 
The field work done on the project during the past month consisted' 
of a reconnaissance to discover old survey points and to mark with flags 
a iircliminary boundary. More than half of the boundary has been 
so marked, extending from Puu Hapapa to a ridge about one-half mile 
south of Pohakea Pass. In locating this boundary the effort has been 
to make a "site division" between forest land and grazing land, i.e., 
to determine on the spot •whether the land is more valuable for grazing 
or forest use. It must be appreciated that this is often difficult and 
that in order to reduce the number of angles, keep the boundary as 
simple as possible, and so keep down the cost of future fencing it becomes 
a . give-and-take proposition. 
When it comes finally to considering the acquisition of title to the 
forest land, or the purchase of the lease from the present lessee, there 
are several suggestions for appraising the land, which I shall be glad to 
advance at that time. 
EDUCATIONAL COOPEEATION 
The course in general forestry (Agriculture 12) in the University 
of Hawaii was conducted as usual. A total of seven lectures and four 
field laboratory periods, covering the subjects of forest planting and 
mensuration, was given during the month. As a problem in mensura- 
tion the class was set the task of obtaining the volume of a quarter- 
acre sample plot in the Eucalyptus robusta forest on Tantalus Drive, 
with the following interesting results: 
Merchantable volume in boles down to 6" top diameter, 33,600 bd. ft. 
per acre. 
Cordwood in tops and suppressed trees, 27 cords per acre. 
Total cordwood, if all cut into cordwood, 129.2 cords per acre. 
The plantation is approximately thirty-four years old. 
MISCELLANEOUS 
Some time was spent upon the progress of the Hilo Forest Eeserve 
working plan. 
On November 7 a visit w^as made to the Salvation Army Boys' 
Home to discuss with the officers in charge the continued manufacture 
