1885.] FORKSTliY KXIinUTIOX f.\ EDIX BU RGH. 427 



staff of accomplished professors, train youths of good Lirth and 

 •education to the duties of State foresters. Nor, in tlic case of 

 France, is this law confined to the mother country ; the Algerian 

 forests are worked witli scrupulous solicitude, and the collections of 

 "vegetable produce from the French Colonies of New Caledonia, etc., 

 in the permanent museum at Paris, contain specimens which abound 

 in evidence of their forest products being all diligently explored." 



In the years 18 GO- 64, during which years I held the office of 

 ■Colonial botanist, and thus had my attention directed to this matter, 

 the annual revenue derived from the whole of the Crown forests at 

 the Cape of Good Hope was then only about £250 a year in excess 

 of the expenditure on what was called the conservation, but included 

 a wasteful sale of the produce ; and thereafter the free revenue 

 rapidly diminished, and the forests were rapidly disappearing. But 

 latterly Count de Vasselot, an eleve of the Forest School of Nancy, 

 was appointed Commissioner of Forests in the Colony ; and from a 

 Colonial notice of an official report of his, it appears that these 

 Crown forests, if regularly worked, would produce a yearly revenue 

 of £235,000 ! 



At the time referred to (18 63-64) comparatively little was being 

 done to obtain the greatest possible good from the Colonial forests 

 of South Australia. In the interval the defence, exploitation, and 

 extension of these forests has been entrusted to Mr. J. F. Brown 

 as Conservator of Forests. For eight years past there has been 

 expended on these works under his advice well-nigh £6000 a year; 

 but this has been repaid within a small amount by revenue derived 

 from the forests ; v/hile the value of the permanent improvements 

 and extension of the forests is estimated at £100,000. 



Again, from a statement in the Indian Pioneer, it appears that 

 the Indian forest revenue for the last official year amounted to 

 £1,040,000, and the charges to about £600,000, leaving a clear 

 revenue of £440,000. In France the revenue and expenditure of 

 the forest department were £1,405,10 1 and £641,508, according 

 to a quotation by Dr. Brandis. But the French State forests cover 

 less than 4000 square miles. Those of the Indian Government, 

 including the second-class reserves, cover over 89,000 square miles, 

 and a large proportion of the expenditure in India is occasioned by 

 extensive plantations. In Prussia, from 10,000 square miles of 

 State forests, there is derived a net gain of nearly a million sterling 

 annually. 



In addition to what I have alleged in regard to the importance 

 of judicious conservation and scientific exploitation of forests, I may 

 state that there are localities in \\\\\c\\ forest extension is the phase 

 of forestry which is called for. Thus can drift sands be completely 



