Falconer and /lis Labours in India 343 



such progress, that the plates belonging to nine parts out of the 

 twelve were published. There was, however, no letterpress, with 

 the exception of a short introduction. In this respect he made a 

 fatal mistake. Instead of concentrating his energies on his sub- 

 ject, he entered upon collateral questions, which had no direct 

 bearing upon it. He worked from a centre to a circumference. 

 For example, he did not set before his eyes the description of the 

 elephants and mastodons of the Siwalik hills, but those of the 

 whole world — a task that was almost endless. His materials con- 

 sequently increased so rapidly that he was quite overwhelmed. 

 Problems were continually arising which he felt bound to solve, 

 and pilgrimages had to be made to different museums in Europe, 

 that accuracy might be ensured ; and thus it happened that in 

 1847, when he was compelled to resume his duties in India, he 

 had not written one line of his letterpress. 



On the retirement of the late Dr Nathaniel Wallich, Dr Falconer 

 was appointed superintendent of the Botanic Garden in Calcutta, 

 and Professor of Botany in the Medical College in 1847. His 

 new duties necessitated his surrender of the pursuit of Palaeon- 

 tology. The development of the vegetable productions of Bengal 

 received his undivided attention. In 1848 he published a valuable 

 memorandum,'" on the necessity of preserving timber trees, and on 

 the supply of firewood, and in the following year made a formal 

 report to the government on the Tenasserim teak forests. He 

 shewed that the growing scarcity of teak, which was more than 

 doubled in price between 181 5 and 1840, was caused by the 

 absence of forest laws, and neglect in planting young trees. The 

 forests had been let out to contractors, who were intent on present 

 gain, and careless of the needs of the future. He advocated the 

 adoption of rigorous forest laws, and the appointment of a conser- 

 vator with considerable powers, and insisted that a certain number 

 of young trees should be planted for every old tree cut down. 

 This report was acted upon, and has borne fruit in the preserva- 

 tion of the teak forests. His services also in the introduction of 

 fruit trees from America were most valuable. In 1850 1 the 

 Government of Bengal, acting on .his recommendation, purchased 

 a number of young trees from America, that had been preserved 

 in ice, consisting of pears, apples, cherries, peaches, plums, cur- 



* Joum. Agric. Hort., Soc. of India, vol. vi. , p. 163. 



•f- Joiim. Agric. and Hort., Soc. of India, vol. vii. p. 172. 



