31 
kepukas contain stands of Ohia of excellent size, shape and 
quality. As yet this country has been only very imperfectly ex- 
plored. Whether or not these groups of good trees have a market 
value depends largely on the size of the kepukas in which they 
occur, for unless there is a considerable quantity of wood to be got 
olf it would not pay to build the long road necessary tO' get to 
them. The chief interest in the tract centers therefore, in the 
block of forest extending mauka from the Kaohe Homesteads. 
The commercial forest extends beyond and mauka of the gov- 
ernment lands onto the privately owped tracts of Waiakahiula 
and Keahialaka. It is on these lands and on the Kaohe Home- 
steads of which title has already passed from the government to 
private owners, that the lumber company is now operating. All 
the area on these lands that is cut over is to be put into sugar 
cane. Both of the large lands named and most of the privately 
owned homesteads are now controlled by the Puna Sugar Com- 
pan}q at present a department of the Olaa Sugar Company. 
Until recently the forest on Kaohe has been unexplored. With- 
in the last year, since the Development Company has become in- 
terested in the project, the forest has been opened up to some ex- 
tent by trails that have been cut at the expense of that company. 
The main trail was cut through the center of the merchantable 
forest belt for a distance of about five miles, with laterals running 
off from it at intervals. The cost of making these trails, which 
amounted altogether to about $1,000, was borne by the Lumber 
Company. Unless trails have previously been cut through the 
dense undergrowth it is impracticable to travel in the Puna forest. 
In September and again in December, 1908, I visited Puna 
and in company with representatives of the Lumber Company and 
w;ith Mr. George H. Williams of Hilo, the local Land Agent, saw 
as much as was possible of the forest from these trails. The 
existing knowledge of the forest and of the character of the land 
itself, rests on this necessarily imperfect reconnoisance. But it is 
believed that sufficient information is at hand to justify the gov- 
ernment in taking action. 
The Forest. 
On the homestead lots and the portion of the upper lands for 
which application is made, the forest consists of a practically 
pure stand of Ohia Lehua, of approximately even age, and of 
such size and height as to be of merchantable value. The trees 
run from 40 to 70 feet in height and from 12 to 30 inches in dia- 
meter breast high, the average diameter being roughly about 16 
inches. There are, of course, some trees of other species, such as 
Kopiko, Ohe, Loulu Palm, etc., but they are only scattering in 
number and of minor importance. In portions of the forest tree 
ferns are present in considerable number and with the low grow- 
ing shrubs, ferns and bracken make a dense undergrowth. There 
