"On our coast the price of timber has very largely increased and fluctuates greatly; at present prices would probably run as entered above for timber brought to the water's edge. If a large and continuous supply is required for H.M. Navy, it would be advisable to establish an agency on the West Coast. The Bombay Government has now an Agent whose headquarters are at Calicut. If this officer could not undertake the duty, a separate Agent, on say Rs.400 per mensem, with an establishment of Rs.100 more, would be required. This officer would receive from our depôts, or buy from private owners and ship the timber procured.

"Looking at the increasing scarcity, and the greatly augmenting demands for timber, I think Government should begin at once to plant freely. The Conolly plantations are now beginning to pay and promise well. I would urge the doubling of the grant for this. We now plant nearly 70,000 trees annually for about Rs.3000, which includes the care of those already planted; with Rs.6000 or only £50 per mensem, we could almost double the rate of progress and I am confident it would prove a good investment. I have explained my views to Lieutenant Beddome, who will arrange satisfactorily for this extension of operations, if Government sanctions it.'

The annual cost of the establishment at Nilumbur at the time was Rs.3774 only. The budget for 1859-60 was as follows: Receipts Rs.4715; disbursements Rs.3011; surplus Rs.1704; a most satisfactory result after sixteen years' work only. The Government sanctioned Cleghorn's recommendation of an annual grant of Rs.6000 for the work, the Collector being of opinion that the returns from the plantations would equal this sum. Further, that 120,000 trees could be planted for this sum. It would also enable them to overtake the planting work which had got into arrears latterly, owing to the staff having had to give more time to the pruning and thinning work in the young plantations, which work was not then up to date.

The following table, showing the financial results for the Presidency for the year 1859-60, also furnishes excellent evidence of the progress being made in conservancy under Cleghorn's energetic administration :

FINANCIAL RESULTS OF CONSERVANCY FOR 1859-60.

DEDUCT GENERAL CHARGES.

Pay of the Conservator of Forests, Establishment,
Contingent Charges, etc.

..

When Cleghorn proceeded on leave, Captain H. R. Morgan was appointed to officiate as Conservator, the staff at that time including such able men as Captain Michael and Lieutenant Beddome.

The origin of the famous Ootacamund Eucalyptus Plantations will now be briefly sketched.

In November, 1859, Cleghorn addressed the Government on the subject of the fuel supply of Ootacamund, the hill station in the Nilgiris, of Wellington and the other stations in the hills. He pointed out that for years past the woods, or "sholas," as they are termed, had been subjected to unrestricted fuel cutting by the residents and fuel merchants, and that were this practice to continue unchecked the firewood supplies would ultimately fail, whilst the beauty of Ootacamund would be seriously impaired. He instanced Simla as a case in point, stating that severe restrictions to indiscriminate

firewood cutting in the forests adjacent to that station had had to be introduced to safeguard the future supplies.

The sholas on the southern hills were Government forests, and the Government agreed to the Conservator's suggestions that the cutting of firewood by private persons should be forbidden; that all the sholas in the neighbourhood of Ootacamund should be absolutely reserved, not only for their beauty, but also from fear of injuring the water springs; that their limits should be demarcated and no private cutters be allowed inside; that old trees should be felled by the forest staff and sold by auction outside, and that planting up should be undertaken as required.

It was also laid down that suitable woods at a distance from the station should be selected and marked out in lots, amply sufficient for a year's supply, the lots to be put up to auction annually. The buyer of the lots should be allowed to clear fell the trees on the lot, leaving those which might have been previously marked for reservation by the forest staff. These cleared lots would be replanted by the Forest Department. Finally, that no private felling of any kind, or for any person, would be allowed in woods or on land belonging to Government.

This was a move in the right direction, but it was recognised that it would prove insufficient to ensure the firewood supplies required. A certain amount of private planting on a small scale was being done, but this could not be relied upon to furnish the probable requirements of the future.

The first plantation made on the Nilgiri Hills was commenced by Captain Campbell on a site of 600 acres (purchased for Rs.700) within three miles of Wellington. By April, 1858, eight acres had been planted with Acacia lophantha (pycnantha ?), planted at first four feet apart and subsequently at six feet. The plants were raised in a nursery and put out as seedlings. The plantations were thriving, and sanction was given, on Cleghorn's recommendation, to continue the work. Captain Campbell had Corporal Hall, already mentioned in connection with the Anaimalai timber extraction work, as overseer, and somewhat later, on Campbell taking furlough, the corporal was placed in charge. Campbell had also pitted in at a much less outlay several species of hard woods on eleven acres of cleared land in a shola. This work had been started in order to ensure a supply of fuel for the troops at Wellington. Campbell was also using dried "turf," a kind of peat from the