'Kari' consists of smaller trees running from 9 to 12 'haths' in length, which are sold in lots at from 1 to 1'cawns' per 'hath,' measured on the girth. The following are included in this class: Ratta (Garcinia Xanthochymus), pumar ( (? Vitex leucoxylon), kurta ( singra (? ? ), karil ? ), joki (Bischofia javanica), ), singtajah ( ? ? ), chanti ( singdrine ( ? ), haris (? and many others. ' ), puari ( ? Rattans (Calamus), ‘jali bét' (Arundinaria elegans), Rs.7 per 100 'muras' (of 75 béts' each). 'Súndi bét' (Calamus Guruba) one quarter higher. Gala bét' (Dæmonorops Jenkinsianus), the larger kind running from 80 to 120 feet in length, is unsaleable, and therefore only cut to order. The prices above mentioned are now current in Cachar ; in addition to which the following duties are charged on the transit of the different articles to Sylhet : On 'gúndahs,' 2 annas 6 pies; on 'dúms' and 'karis,' from 6 annas to RI. each; 'rattans,' from Rs.2 to Rs.3 per 100 'murahs.' The expense of floating the timbers from the forest to Banga is about Rr annas 4 per score, and about the same sum is charged for conveying them to Sylhet; but this expense is more than compensated by the sale of the bamboos given gratis by the wood-cutters to form the rafts. As 'jarul' is used only in Sylhet, for the construction of large chunam' boats, the trade in that article has fallen off greatly of late, in consequence of the stagnation in the lime business, and the annual demand therefore does not now exceed two thousand timbers, which is about one-half the number formerly exported. From 1500 to 2000 'dúms' and 'karis' form the amount exported of those classes. Jarul' is seldom carried beyond the district of Sylhet in logs, in consequence of the difficulty of floating the timbers across so large a river as the Megna; it is sometimes exported in planks, but more commonly is worked up at Azmeri-ganj, Chattak and Sanam-ganj into boats, for which, on account of its buoyancy, it is eminently fitted. A jarul' boat well smeared with 'bélah' will last with occasional repairs about 10 or 12 years, and one of twelve hundred 'maunds' burthen may be built in Cachar for about Rs.350. Of the trees sold as 'dúms' and 'karis,' there are many which are very strong and durable woods, fit for building and furniture, but which have not yet been introduced to a fair market in consequence of the want of enterprise and capital of the traders. It is further probable that, as the forests have never been thoroughly examined by any intelligent European, we are still ignorant of many valuable productions which they contain. Besides the 'oak' and 'tún,' 'chumal' (well fitted for furniture), wild nutmeg, cinnamon and clove trees have, it is said, been seen in them." This record of 1832 is of interest when compared with the Report now to be considered. Captain Stewart, in his Report on the forests of his district, stated that the district contained magnificent forests of an almost tropical character, similar in many essentials to the great forest belt stretching south from Cachar through the Lushais, the Chittagong Hill Tracts and Chittagong, a belt not mentioned at all in the Reports on the Bengal Forests at this period, but with which the Cachar Forests are conterminous. "The entire north portion of the district," says Stewart, "being the southern slopes of the Burrail Range of mountains, is forest clad and contains both valuable and valueless timber in great abundance. This tract is not divided into 'pergunnahs'; all the valuable timber in the vicinity of mountain rivers down which it can be floated has been exhausted. The entire south of the district, or northern slope of the Tipperah range of hills, is forest of the same nature, the hills not being so high. Small patches to the south of the north forest, and the north of the south forest, belong to planters; the rest is ‘khas.'” No Forest Conservancy existed in the district "save as to the right to trap elephants and tap the india-rubber trees." The native name of the tree commonest in the forests was "jakoora"; it was worthless except for fuel purposes, but was estimated to occupy about one-third of the area of forests; probably another third was occupied by worthless trees, the remaining third consisting of valuable trees. Jarul," nagesar" (called “nahor” in Assam) with a large number of the associate trees usually found in this region occurred in the forests. The "nagesar" (the Bengal name) or "nahor "is a beautiful tree formerly much planted by Buddhists. Trimen mentions that it was often planted near Buddhist temples. S. E. Peal, in Ind. Tea Gazette, writing of its frequency in Assam, where it was probably frequently planted in Burmese (i.e. Buddhist) times, says: "The forest, if properly studied, often yields information of a peculiar kind: thus the 'nahor' gives a clue to the density of population compared to what we see now. The large, old and crooked branching 'nahor' trees clearly indicate that when young the country, now forest, was then open. They are often seen along the sides of old 'brends' (embankments) in dense forest, and evidently planted, and from the seed the surrounding 'nahor' forest has sprung up, and it is generally as straight as the old trees are the reverse.' Gamble mentions that the tree is planted about Buddhist monasteries in Burma, and is also held in great estimation by Hindus. He adds: The timber is very strong, hard and heavy, and it is just its weight and hardness, and the difficulty of extracting it from the forest and converting it, that leads to its comparatively little use. It gives good sleepers, as good as 'pyingado' (Xylia dolabriformis).' Stewart enumerates the native names of forty-three species of trees growing in Cachar. "The revenue was derived by establishing a customs' ghát ' on the river, at which all rafts being floated down have to pay duty for each timber, etc. A lease has been offered of these forests embracing the right of tapping for india-rubber only; the annual amount produced being supposed to be between 5000 and 6000 'maunds,' but no farmers offered. This right is still conserved." The revenue and expenditure on account of the Cachar Forests for the quinquennial period 1860-61 to 1861-5 was as follows. The revenue was collected by farming out a customs ghát” where the duty on timber coming down the river was collected : II.-2 D The "ghát” revenue farmer had to pay the amount of his lease in two instalments and was bound by the conditions of the lease, which prescribed the way he should measure the timber in the rafts, the produce brought down on the rafts, such as cotton, thatching grass, reeds, etc., being free of tolls. No boats passing down the river were to be stopped or searched. In case of disputes in measuring rafts the matter would be settled by the Collectorate. Bamboos required for bona fide personal use were to be allowed to pass down free; rafts of bamboos carrying down thatching grass were to be charged at Rs.2 per 1000 bamboos. The above allusion to the fact that the cotton bales were transported down the rivers on the log rafts is of interest, since at a later date, if not at the period here dealt with, the bales were often used for smuggling down prohibited or dutiable articles. Opium was smuggled in this way, and in the author's time in Chittagong elephant tusks had been known to be hidden in the interior of the bales. The following was the rate of tolls leviable at the Sealtekh customs ghát in 1863 : ARTICLES. Jarul timber, each under 12 haths (1 hath=20 inches) Jarul timber, above 20 haths, each Jarul planks, posts, tirs, etc., each Doom and Karia timbers, under 12 haths, each 3 номHNN I I 8 2 2 No leases had been given out for cutting timber in the forests. Anyone had the right to cut either timber or firewood in the "khas" forests, the prescribed duty being paid at the customs station where it was exported. The price of firewood was 2-3 annas a "maund." The Borak River and its numerous tributaries were used to float down the rafts. The Borak itself flowed through the southern forests and much timber was floated down it, both from Manipur on its right bank and Cachar on its left. The chief timber markets were at Soonai Mook, Burkhola, Bundookmara and Sealtekh. The following statement (p. 404) of the prices in force in 1863 in these markets for the various timbers in different size classes is of interest, since it proves that the fellings in the forest were being carried out without any respect to a girth limit. Stewart concluded his valuable Report by stating that jhum' cultivation is in full sway, and is the greatest enemy of the timber. Tea cultivation has also cleared much of the forest." It will have become obvious, from the foregoing description of the position of the forests in Bengal, that the officers of the civil administration, with a few exceptions, were not as alive to the necessity of introducing Forest Conservancy into the Province as had become the case in other parts of India. There is a curious lack of any mention of the forests of Chittagong District, the Chittagong Hill Tracts and the Lushai Hills. This is probably attributable to the same cause which confines the description of the Assam Forests to Sylhet and Cachar. The great mass of the forests of the extensive tract of country comprising the Naga and Manipur jungles which stretch southwards through the rough forest-covered tableland of the Khasia and Garo Hills and still further south into the Lushai Hills, the Chittagong Hill Tracts and Chittagong District to the sea-board was at this time an unknown country peopled, with the exception of the Chittagong District, by wild aboriginal tribes. A Memorandum dated 3rd February, 1867, written by Cleghorn whilst officiating Inspector-General of Forests during Brandis' absence on furlough in Europe, reviews the Forest Administration Report of the Lower Provinces, Bengal, for 1865-6. This was the second Progress Report of the Forest |