32 
is also much Ic-ic vine on the trees and in places, especially at the 
edge of the forest, tangles of Uluhi or Staghorn fern. There is 
a noticeable absence of young Ohia trees ,the forest being com- 
posed, as has been said, of a practically even aged stand, of ma- 
ture trees, moderately regular in size. 
The forest on the tract is mature and from a silvicultural stand- 
point ready to be harvested. With our present lack of exact 
knowledge in regard to the forest it is perhaps not safe to say 
that it is deteriorating in quality, but from the fact that of the 
trees that have so far been cut on the adjoining lands, a large 
percentage is effected by heart rot and other defects, it is fair to 
assume that the conditions will not improve to any marked extent 
within the next few years. A virgin forest may hold ts own ; 
it cannot be expected to improve in quality. 
Soil Conditions. 
The reconnoisance of the forest gave information in regard to 
the character of the land as well as of the forest cover. From the 
information at hand it would appear that the remaining Kaohe 
homesteads are equal in character and depth of soil to those that 
have already been taken up and that are now being cleared to be 
planted in cane, and further, that the lower section of the gov- 
ernment land mauka of the homesteads, is also to be classed as 
‘‘agricultural,” in that while the soil is not deep and is underlaid 
by pahoehoe it is yet sufficient to justify its being used to raise 
cane. Just where the division occurs between the arable and the 
non-arable land cannot now be said. It must wait a more exact 
knowledge of the section, but it seems to be safe to assume that 
from one-third to one-half of the area covered by the commer- 
cially valuable forest could ultimately be used for agriculture. 
With the relatively small area of land suitable for agriculture 
in the possession of the Territory on the Island of Hawaii it is 
the policy of the administration to make available for use such 
areas as do exist and are possible of development. In the present 
instance as the result of lumbering operations a considerable area 
of good land would be made available while at the same time the 
government would benefit by a cash return from an otherwise un- 
productive asset. 
Hawaii's forest policy. 
At this point it may be well for a moment to consider the rela- 
tion that this Puna problem, bears to the general forest policy of 
the Territory. During the past three years I have repeatedly 
pointed out that in Hawaii there are two main classes of forest, 
(1) the “water-bearing” protection forest that covers the water- 
sheds and drainage basins of the important streams throughout 
the Territory, and (2) the “commercial forest” in the districts 
