the propagation of this species was to be undertaken in this division by sowing seed in hedgerows and clumps of bushes, these being the conditions in which the tree was commonly found growing.

Cleghorn, officiating Inspector-General of Forests, in his review of the Report gave the following summary on the selection of the Government Reserves :

"There were thirty-two reserved forests, viz. In the Ashtagram Division, II; Nuggur Division, II; Nundidroog Division, 10; total, 32.

The principal sources of timber supply are in the Ashtagram and Nuggur Divisions, near the Western Ghats, and within the influence of the south-west monsoon. The great teak belt, bordering Wynaad, extending from the boundary of Coorg in the north to the Moyar River in the south, is in the Ashtagram Division. The forests in this division, with three exceptions, are definitely marked off by natural boundaries, and with four exceptions contain no villages and no roads through them, except those used by the Forest Department. These are all rich forests, but much devastated. The great markets are Mysore and Bangalore. In the Nuggur Division also are forests containing teak, blackwood, "poon poon" (Calophyllum tomentosum), and sandal. The logs are floated down the Toombuddra to Bellary, and down the Wurdah to Dharwar District.

The reserves have been absolutely reserved for the purposes of conservancy, and steps are being taken for careful mapping, surveying and demarcation. No information is yet given regarding the area or comparative yield of these tracts."

In the review of the Report for 1866-7 the Government of India lay particular stress on the importance of demarcating the Reserves as soon as possible, and that the progress made with the demarcation work should be distinctly shown in each Annual Report. They also stated that it was inadvisable to demarcate a larger area of forests than could be efficiently protected; that the selection of forests in different parts of the country should be based financially on their utility for producing the requirements of the population; and that once selected and demarcated, grazing, fires and all irregular felling should be strictly prohibited within the Reserves. On other waste land, the property of Government, the felling of valuable trees

which was still in practice should be prohibited, and such prohibition should apply to wooded tracts generally until their ownership had been definitely settled, in order to put a stop to the illicit felling and smuggling of timber which was said to be rife, especially across the frontier to Dhawar, where timber was in great request and fetched a high price. It was also decided to create a few sandal wood reserves in the Ash

tagram Division. With reference to the Nundidroog, the Conservator expressed the opinion that the timber trade in that division could not be lucrative, owing to the greater part of the country being open, with a dry climate and a comparatively small extent of "jungle" distributed unequally over it. The Government of India held that it was necessary to demarcate the most promising of these areas as reserves in the interest of the maintenance of the requirements of the population, pointing out that the production of timber was not the only object of forest management. The same remark held good to areas on the eastern side of Madras. Bamboos, small wood for agricultural and domestic purposes, firewood and a variety of other forest produce were necessities of great importance, the consumption of which would go on increasing with the growth of agriculture, industry and the trade of the country. They approved of the proposals to form fuel plantations, for the railway and other purposes, as they considered this to be a work of great importance, and they hoped that every effort would be made to afford the Conservator facilities for obtaining land for these purposes. The fair progress made with the plantations at Coongul (100 acres) and Ouscotta (400 acres) was satisfactory, but these areas would be quite inadequate to meet the requirements of the railway and the country generally. The Conservator had reported that he considered he would be able to undertake the work of increasing the sandal wood area and carry out the plantation operations by means of his staff, and that no skilled, trained agency was necessary. The Government of India did not see how this would be possible, and asked that further consideration should be given to the matter; more especially in view of the fact that it was admitted that the best method of cultivating sandal wood had not yet been ascertained. They also asked whether, in view of the greater amount of sandal wood cut in 1867-8 (2368 candies as against 1665 in 1866–7), there was not some danger that they were overcutting, and directed the Conservator in future Reports to show the quantity of

cubic feet felled, or number of trees cut per year, instead of the amount brought into the depot only.

Towards the end of 1869 two Reports on the forests of Coorg (which had come under the control of the Government of India in 1834) for 1867-8 and 1868-9 were reviewed by the Government of India. Coorg was under the Conservator of Mysore. The following is a comparative statement of revenue and expenditure for Coorg for the years 1863-4 to 1868-9:

The cause of the remarkably high revenue during the years 1864-5 and 1865-6 was not explained by the Conservator. The forest revenue of Coorg at the period mainly depended on the sales of timber, chiefly teak, brought to the depots, the sale of sandal wood and the receipts from cardamom forests.

The Government of India pointed out that the yield of teak and sandal wood required to be husbanded lest overcutting should lead to the exhaustion of the forests. In any case, the number of trees felled or the total cubic feet cut should be stated every year. As regards the sandal wood it should be considered whether the felling of this wood should not be regulated in the different divisions to guard against overfelling.

The demarcation of the reserves had not made any considerable progress. The Conservator appeared to be awaiting the publication of the new forest rules. The Government of India pointed out that the rules were to protect the forests, and that therefore the latter required to be first demarcated before the rules could be given effect to. Consequently the work of demarcation should proceed at once without any

reference to the probable date of publication of the rules. They also intimated that the question of including some of the cardamom forests within the reserves should be considered.

The Forest Report for Mysore for 1868-9 showed receipts of Rs.3,51,476 and charges of Rs.1,19,951, leaving a surplus of Rs.2,31,525. There had been little increase in the receipts during the past five years, but for 1867-6 the receipts for forests under the revenue officers had been credited to land revenue and not to forests. On this Report the Government of India wrote (No. 31, F., dated 14th January, 1870):

"The small percentage of charges to receipts is the best feature of forest management in Mysore, and the Chief Commissioner's commendation that the Department has been worked with economy is well deserved. In this respect it must be admitted that forest management in Mysore and Coorg contrasts favourably with forest management in most provinces under the Government of India.

On the other hand, the progress in real work of permanent value has been slow, and every effort should now be made to place forest management in the Province on a safe and satisfactory footing. More satisfactory progress has not been made on account of the inadequate staff, and the inexperience of the officers of the Department. It is very desirable to promote systematic forest management in Native States, and the Chief Commissioner's proposals for strengthening the Department, which have recently been received, will receive due consideration. The aggregate cash surplus yielded by the forests within the last five years has amounted to upwards of 12 lakhs of rupees, and it should now be considered whether, in the interest of the Mysore State, a portion of the surplus in future should not be devoted to the improvement of the public forest domains.

The first step in this direction is to complete the demarcation of all tracts selected to be reserved as State forests, and to place their boundaries upon a safe and satisfactory footing. Much remains to be done in this respect in the three divisions of Nuggur, Ashtagram, and Nundidroog, and it is satisfactory to observe from the Chief Commissioner's review that he fully concurs in this view.

The second step is to obtain good and detailed maps of these forests. For this purpose application should be made to the Survey Department for skeleton maps on the scale

required, containing all points and lines that have been accurately determined by the survey.

It is satisfactory to observe that the Chief Commissioner desires to see better progress made in the formation of sandal wood reserves. The demarcation of promising tracts which produce sandal wood, and the increase in them of sandal wood by protection and sowing, are fully as important as the demarcation of timber and wood-producing tracts. In the year under review the sales of sandal wood are reported to have realised: In Nuggur, Rs.74,676; in Ashtagram, Rs.74,672; in Nundidroog, Rs.42,784: total, Rs.1,92,132; or more than one-half of the entire forest revenue. These sandal wood reserves will eventually prove to be most valuable estates."

In 1864-5 1985 "candies" of sandal wood were felled in the forests, in 1867-8 and 1868-9 2370 and 2385 "candies" respectively. In 1869-70 it was proposed to fell 1920 "candies," and in the budget estimate for 1870-1 3200 candies." On this subject the Government of India wrote: "In his Report which accompanies the Budget for 1870-1, the Conservator proposes a different system of collecting sandal wood, with the object of utilising to a greater extent than has hitherto been done the sandal wood growing in distant localities. This will doubtless be a useful measure, but unless a regular plan of operations is established, by which the localities and the extent of each year's cuttings are regulated, it will be impossible to know whether the present consumption is not in excess of the annual production. The high prices which have of late been realised in some districts doubtless are a great temptation; but the production of sandal wood is limited to a small part of India, and its consumption will certainly not diminish; prices, therefore, are likely to rise further, and this is an additional reason for so regulating the supply as to secure its permanency."

The Government of India's knowledge of the position in Mysore was the outcome of a visit by Brandis to the forests in 1869. Commenting upon their remarks the Secretary of State wrote (R.F., No. 10, dated 24th March, 1870): "These results would, in all probability, have been greater had the Department been more adequately organised, and I am glad to observe that you have determined to apply some of the surplus obtained to placing the Department on an efficient footing. It is at all times important not to obstruct measures