1886.] REVIEWS OF BOOKS. 777 



Progress Report of Forest Administration of British Burma for 

 1884-85. By LieuteQant-Colonel W. J. Se.vton, M.S.C, and 

 E. P. KOPEKT, Esq. 



THE total area of reserved forests in tlie district dealt with in 

 this report is 3942 square miles, much of which is yet 

 unsurveyed, in consequence of which the working administration is 

 somewliat hampered. During the year, planting, sowing, and culti- 

 vating have been engaged in to the extent of 1748 acres. The 

 revenue in gross has fallen 8,38,294 rupees, which is accounted f<n- 

 by the fall in the price of teak and by the unprecedented slackness 

 in the timber market. 



INDIAN FORESTRY REPORTS. 



Progress Report of Forest Administration in Bengal for 1884-85. 

 By A. L. Home, Esq., Conservator of Forests. 



A]\IOST voluminous report on one of the most important and 

 extensive forest areas of our Indian Empire. The total 

 area of reserved, protected and district forests amounts to 11,493 

 square miles, being an increase of over 230 square miles on the 

 area under management last year. In the Darjeeling Division it 

 appears the demand for timber and fuel has increased by 46 per 

 cent., and that for charcoal has nearly doubled, and causes some 

 anxiety as to the perpetuity of supply on the basis of 120 years^" 

 rotation, which is considered, with the area at disposal, inadequate ^ 

 but data to prove the necessity for an extension of the area or allay 

 the present fears are being collected. Success appears to have 

 attended the attempts at fire-protection which have been extended 

 to a wider area than formerly. Improved measures have been 

 taken for the facilitating of natural production, the most novel of 

 which is the dragging of light logs through the forests by elephant?; 

 in order to open the surface soil for the reception of seed. There-- 

 are 2000 acres of regular plantations, of which over 300 have beea- 

 added during the year. The revenue from grazing is so insignificant 

 as to suggest its being restricted to cases of necessity regarded 

 purely from the point of view of forest conservancy, and rules are 

 being considered with the view of regulating the practice accord- 

 ingly. There is a falling off in the receipts for the year of 1,23,182 

 rupees, which is ascribed to causes of a temporary nature over 

 which the officers of the forest department had no control. 



