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dry ground do not exist. Speaking generally the trees are in ■ 
poor condition and on large areas are dying. 
Many theories have been advanced as explanations of the decay 
of the forest. It has been attributed to cattle, deer and goats, to 
decrease of rainfall, and to a disease of the trees. 
It is evidently true that for many years the island has been over- 
stocked, especially the good pastures at higher elevations, and it 
can easily be understood how the damage to the trees is effected. 
The cattle do not kill the trees directly, but they destroy the thick 
growth of ferns and grass which protects the roots and which is 
evidently essential to the life of the lehua tree. They also eat 
the young trees just coming up from seed. This has assuredly 
been the most prominent cause. But in many canyons where cat- 
tle scarcely can find their way, as well as in some parts of the 
swamps near the Pelekunu pali, the lehua trees are also dying, 
which indicates that the tree is besides suffering from some insect 
or fungus. The deer do less harm than the cattle, but it may 
nevertheless be well to keep their number within reasonable limits. 
In lower elevations goats abound, which should be removed as 
thoroughly as possible, for they completely destroy the already 
scant vegetation. Sheep have lately been confined to the western 
end (Kaluakoi), which seems most suited to them. 
All in all it seems that the cattle, in part aided by the disease 
referred to, are responsible for the decay of the forests and that 
it is not necessary to assume any material change in climate. As 
mentioned, there is no such decay noticeable at Mapulehu, where 
very few cattle have been pastured. In consequence of the dry- 
ing up of the swamps, the rainfall runs off rapidly and the streams 
become more intermittent and torrential in character, as indeed 
is very clearly marked in the case of Kawela. To remedy these 
conditions, the exclusion of cattle and other fern-destroying ani- 
mals from the upper mountain region is suggested, which may 
cause the swamp ferns and lehuas to grow up again. Planting 
certain areas of land below the swamps by eucalyptus, acacia or 
Monterey cypress would remedy matters to some extent. 
The writer divides the available water resources of Molokai un- 
der springs, streams and wells. The springs are divided into 
three classe : First, those emerging at sea level ; second, those 
appearing at elevations from t.ooo to 2,500 feet, and third, those 
of the summit region feeding the permanent streams. 
The first are very numerous, and often, by reason of their 
vicinity to the shore, more salty than the normal ground water. 
A detailed account is then given of the permanent springs of the 
island, together with their approximate flow and degree of sa- 
linity. The largest springs noted appear in the ricefield east of 
Kawela Gulch, which have a daily discharge of 450,000 gallons 
and contain 12 grains of salt per gallon. 
The running streams of Molokai are also treated in detail with 
