March i, 1887.J THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST* 



59^ 



rapid decomposition, which decompositiou provides 

 a soil more or less fertile for all of tlu^ mountain sur- 

 faces, aud atfords abundant material to be carried 

 down by the streams to the mountain valleys, aud to 

 the level lauds adjacent, to the numerous rivers in the 

 lower sections. Ecuador, en both sides of the Andes, 

 abounds in rivers and smaller streams, which greatly 

 enhance the productions of the country, and the 

 rivers themselves provide a water communication 

 with the markets. The climate is exceedingly diversi- 

 fied, having the wide range from an average temper- 

 ature of 75° Fahrenheit on the Pacific Coast and 

 upper tributaries of the Amazon to that of the 

 summits of the Andeau range, where there is per- 

 petual snow and ice. Between these extremes there 

 are all the degrees of variation from the tropical to 

 the arctic. The difference of temperature resuhing 

 from the difference of altitude permits the grow- 

 ing in Ecuador of nearly all the fruits and varieties 

 of grain and vegetables grown in all other parts of 

 the world. Everything pertaining to the tropics is 

 produced in profusion, and in addition, wheat, oats, 

 barley, apples, pears, peaches, cherries, stiawberries, 

 and vegetables of every kind. Consul Beach says 

 that Ecuador has many natural advantages that might 

 be rendered a great blessing, but the people appear 

 to be wanting in the main essentials of industrial 

 progress, and the country makes but trifling advance- 

 ment, as may be seen by an examination of the 

 agricultural implements now in use. The implements 

 of most varied uses is the Machete, a heavy blade 

 about two inches in width, two feet long, with a 

 handle about five inches long. Most of the blades 

 are straight, but some of them have a slight upward 

 curve. A field is prepared for rice by cutting down 

 all the weeds and bushes with a machete ; an opening 

 for the seed is then made with a broad-ended bar, 

 and the seed dropped in. When the rice comes up, 

 the grass and weeds between the rows are cut with 

 machetes, which operation is repeated at intervals. 

 For Indian corn and sugar cane the land is prepared 

 in the same manner, and the planting and cultivating 

 is performed with the same tools, and in the same 

 manner as previously described. The rice is cut with 

 sheath knives, and the corn and cane with machetes. 

 The rice, after being cut and cured, is first trodden 

 out by peons or labourers, and then put into large 

 wooden mortars, and milled by the use of large 

 wooden pounders wielded by peons. Ploughing is done 

 in the interior, for grain and potatoes, with ploughs 

 made by pointing round sticks with iron — these im- 

 plement* being very similar to those in use in many 

 parts of Italy. There are no harrows, field rollers, 

 cultivators, reaping and mowing machines, drills or 

 horse rakes. In the cultivation of potatoes and other 

 vegetables large hoes are used. Timber-cutting and 

 hewing are done with broad axes, and the timber 

 sold is drawn to the rivers by oxen, having yokes 

 strapped to their horns, and a pole strapped to the 

 yoke. Chains are not used, the logs being attached 

 to the ox-pole by raw hid^s. The small wood, from 

 three inchea iu diameter downwards, is cut with raache- 

 tes, On the plantation no saws arc used, but the 

 tools chiefly iu use are machetes, hoes, iron-pointed 

 stick ploughs, bars (wedge-shaped at one end), sheath 

 knives, and broad Rxes.—JoUrnal of the Society of Arts, 



FORESTRY. 



A Select Committee of the House of Commons was 

 atjpointed on Friday, May 15th, "to consider whether, 

 by the establishment of a Forest ychool, or otherwise, 

 our woodlands could be rendered more remunerative," 



The committee held three nleetings, with Sir John 

 liubbock as chairman. The following draft report was 

 agreed to bn July 24th :-^"Your Committee are of 

 opinion that at this late period of the session it will 

 not be in their power to conclude their investigation ; 

 they have therefore agreed to report the evidence al- 

 ready taken to the House, and to recommend that a 

 Committee on the same subject should be appointed 

 in the next session of Parliament." The evidence has 

 now been printed and issued to the public. The first 

 wituess examiaed was Mr, William G. Pedder, bead yf 



he Eevfiuie Department of the India-office. The 

 orest organisation m India, he said, originated in 184(3; 

 and in 1863, further steps were taken to secure the 

 scientific training of Indian forest ofhcials. Last year 

 the gross revenue had risen to nearly £1,000,000, and 

 the net revenue to nearly £400,000. But the improve- 

 ment which has taken place in the forests was a much 

 more important element than the mere increase of net 

 revenue. The forests were iu course of being so com- 

 pletely destroyed iu the various parts of India that the 

 duty of the Forest Department had been rather to 

 conserve them. He thought that, by the improvement 

 of the education of our forest officials, we might produce 

 somewhat similar improvements in England to those 

 which have resulted in India. Forest schools existed 

 in Germany, France, Russia, Italy, and Switzerland. 

 Believing there might be some improvements effected 

 in training the forest officials, we requested the French 

 Government to send over an experienced officer to 

 examine and report upon the state of uhe English wood- 

 lands, and the authorities sent over Professor Boppe, 

 who made a tour of inspection of some of our forests, 

 accompanied by Colonel Pearson, then forest officer at 

 Nancy, and some of the students. He made a report, 

 which witness handed in. In this report the Inspector 

 of French Forests says that were it only for the purpose 

 of replanting the five or six millions of moor and 

 wasteland which cover one-third of the Highlands," he 

 should consider there was a sufficient reason for the 

 formation of a Forest School. He recommended that a 

 National Forest School be founded in Great Britain, 

 and that Professorships of Sylviculture be instituted at 

 Cooper's Hill and at Edinburgh. Mr. Pedder expressed 

 an opinion that in twenty or thirty years hence, when 

 the result of what is now done has become apparent 

 the net returns of the revenue from the Indian forests, 

 will become very much larger. The Indian Government 

 established their school at Dehra Dun because it was- 

 desirable that officers, even of the lower grade, should 

 have some special training. It had only been established 

 for five years, so that they could not tell yet what the 

 result of it might be. There was nothing of the same 

 kind in Great Britain at present. At Kew there was a 

 magnificent school of botany, but not of forestry. He 

 belived the establishment in England of a similar school 

 to that of Dehra Dun would be advantageous. 



Colonel James Michael, who was at the inception of 

 the Forest Service in India, said he concurred with 

 the foregoing evidence. He thought the management 

 of our woodlands, in England, might be improved, and 

 that a forest school in this country would have very 

 beneficial effects. There was a good deal of land in 

 England aud Scotland which would bear planting. 

 Timber in this country would always pay for its carriage. 

 Dr. Hugh Cleghorn, who was for twelve years conser- 

 vator of tde Madras forests, said he also concurred in 

 Mr. Pedder's view. It was unquestionable that, if we 

 had more trained officials, our woodlands would be 

 rendered more remunerative ; and it was marvellous 

 that we should not at an earlier date have begun to 

 adopt some means to preserve them. The establish* 

 mentof a Forest School in each of the three kingdoms 

 would be a great advantage to this country, Tlie sup« 

 plies of timber coming from abroad were rapidly dimiu- 

 ishiuy, aud it was of great consequence that we should 

 endeavour to increase our own production. There 

 were many places in this country exceedingly suitable 

 for planting, but it would be necessary to exclude 

 sheep for perhaps thirty years. 



Colonel Pearson, who represented the Indian Govern- 

 ment lor eleven years at the Forest School at JSTancy, 

 said he had the general charge of the forest students, 

 and had been through most of the principal French 

 forests. He had also been through the British forests 

 with the French professors. Several English colonists 

 had applied to him for officials to take the management 

 of forests, and, being unable to find any qualified 

 Englishmen; he had been obliged to recommend Frgach 

 officials. The school at Nancy was an admirable one, 

 aud had done great service by instructing a very able 

 body of men, wbo were now carrying on good work in 

 India. He was in favour of supplementing the general 

 education given iu this country by givjug a special 



